Uncle. That's an amazing scar on your face!
　Saa-san!　What are you talking about?


　--pishly, the air freezes.


　The beautiful prostitutes, the black-clad executives, and the Castor family's sons' expressions were clearly drawn up.
　Fujiyan and Nina's faces are frozen in place. Maybe me too.

''Excuse me!　Lady Sasaki, please apologize to me.
Hey, sweetheart.
　Nina's words are interrupted.
　Hmm?　Saasan nodded his head with a look of "I'm sorry.

'What did you say my face is scarred with?'
That's a cool scar.
"Huh?
It's kind of like being The Boss!
　While everyone's faces are frozen, Sa-san smiles at them.
　Perhaps because of that, the chieftain smiles.
　That smile is scary.　

It's a good thing that you're a brave man, Nii-chan. What do you think?
　They're here!
　Well, I think it would be safer if I said the same thing as Mr. Sa-san.


"Admire the wounds of a mafia chieftain.

　Yes, sir.
　No.


　Choice at this time.
　I feel like this is a reminder to be risk-averse.
　...I'm not going to give you the same answer. Let's be honest.

'Well it's a bit scary, in my opinion.
　Your eyes are so powerful, Mr. Shuto, and the wound makes them even more powerful.
"Oh...., I see. Are you scared, hahahaha!
　The chieftain laughed happily.
　The people around him were pouting, including me.

''You heard that, boys. My scars are cool to the young lady, and she's afraid of the brave nee-chan.''
　Sounds like fun.
　Did you get to choose the right answer option?
　I'm not sure.

I got this scar from a rival gang that beat me in a fight a long time ago. I could have healed it with a spell, but I left it there to remind me of how disappointed I was. I've crushed everyone who makes fun of me for the scars on my face. Next thing you know, I'm the boss of such a large group of people...
Oh, wow, you're a great guy.
　Sa-san would be asking "Was it bad?" right now. You look like.
　It's too late!

It's just, you know, nobody talks about my face these days. Not my guys, not my son, not even my son's, not even his own son.
　Well, that's because you're too scared to say it.

'Why did you say you were scared, brave nee-chan?　Why don't you flatter her the same way you flattered your daughter?
I'm a bit of a coward, so...
　When I told him honestly, he smirked at me for some reason.
'So you're a coward despite being brave........' That's a good thing. A mafia is a cowardly, cautious, cowardly one that survives to the end.''
　Verbally, I feel like I'm being made fun of, but I don't get that feeling.
　Is it a compliment?　

I wanna be friends with you guys.
　The leader poured me a drink in my glass.
　The chieftain himself pours a glass of sake into my glass and I mustn't refuse him, right?

Hold on!　Master Genova!
　Fujiyan interrupted in a hurry.
You're Fujiwara-san, the otherworldly merchant, aren't you? I've heard a lot about you. I've heard you're a man of talent.
　The chieftain doesn't seem to be particularly offended by the sudden interruption in his speech.　
　However, his son and all of his subordinates are looking at us with nervous faces.

''I'm honored. With all due respect, if we drink the liquor Genova-sama poured here, we will be treated as 'family members'.......?
Oh, don't worry about it, Mr. Fujiwara. To become a member of the Castor family, you need to perform a ritual called the Blood Ritual. This is not the Castor family's way of exchanging the cup.
　My oldest son, Jack, told me.

'Excuse me for that...'
But you have also recruited people on the basis of receiving the cup.
　The chieftain grins and smirks.
　Hey!

Dad, what are you talking about?
Brother, I'm fine. This is not the time for that.
　Mr. Jack and Peter explained in a hurry.
'Just kidding. I was just happy to be there.
　While saying this, Shuto drank the high-degree fire wine straight down.
　Are you in a good mood?

''Kuhn, these scars are my medals, you know. I've been lonely because no one has talked about it. Not even my boys could talk about it.
Yeah, come on. Come on, boss.
　Sa-san quickly pours the liquor into the chieftain's glass.
　You can't say he's witty or gutsy....

The rumors about the brave Lord of the Water Country (Roses) are the most talked about of all these days. It's an honour to be feared by you.
'Oh!　I was surprised when I found out that the brave man was a Brother.
　Huh?　Is it that controversial?

What's the subject matter, by the way?
''Most of all, it's the turmoil in the King's Capital Horne. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. But in reality, it was a new, otherworldly brave man who had a lot of power.
　Hey, hey, hey! It's leaking out all over the place, Princess Sophia.

The Ice Carving Princess: Princess Sophia is rumored to be the highest bidder for a new hero. The lowly aristocrats say that Princess Sophia and the brave men of the water kingdom are 'bangin', brother.
It's a hoax, Peter.
　Princess Sophia will be furious if she hears you.

"Lord Tuckey-sama Takatsuki-kun...........................
...what?
　Fujiyan, Nina and Sa-san give me a jittery look.
　What is it?

'But, Brother. It's a famous story that Princess Sophia has been talking passionately to the Highland nobles and influential people about how the new brave man, Makoto Takatsuki, is an indispensable person in the Water Country.　Princess Sophia, with her reputation for coldness to strangers.　Isn't this bound to be a rumor?
　Peter told me.
　Yes.......... Princess Sophia, is that what you're saying?

　I'm an apostle of Noah-sama, an agent of the evil gods, if you will, but.......
　The only thing that the water country means to me is McAllen.
　I'm hazy.　
　I'm hiding the fact that I'm an apostle of Noah-sama, I guess I feel guilty....

'Brave man, you have the blessing of the water goddess Eir-sama, right?　I guess it's a special skill, after all, if you're a brave man.
　Jack asks me.
'Well, um,'
　It's just 'Water Magic, Elementary'.
　Moreover, I don't believe in the Goddess of Water.
　After all, they think I'm a believer in the Water Goddess, right?
　It was too much trouble, so I didn't deny it.

You can't ask too many questions. Don't bother the brave man.
　Mr. Sheikh, you are a very nice person.
　Let's ask him about that while we're at it.

"We were looking for a cult of snakes in the underground canals. Do you know anything about it?
"Huh?
'That's right, Brother.
What do you mean?
　The expressions on the faces of the Castor family became a little sharper.

''I will explain that matter to you.
　Fujiyan explained the events from the commotion in the Water Country.


''........I see, so the next target is Sinfonia.
　The leader scratched his beard thoughtfully.
'I haven't seen it in the underground canals, but there's been an increase in the amount of narcotics (weed) in the air lately.
'Brother Jack, it's not just the 9th Ward Street, it's the same for the 7th and 8th wards. It's going for about half the usual transaction price. I don't know what he's thinking.
　Jack, Peter says that the amount of weed in his system is on the rise.

Is it to raise money?
'But, Lord Nina. There is no indication that the snake cult is buying large amounts of weapons. Most of the buyers of weapons these days are the beastmen.
　Fujiyan responds to Nina's question.

''.......Rumors of a rebellion of the beast race?''
　The chieftain muttered quietly.
'Do you know?'
The bigwigs who run the 7th and 8th arrondissements were brought in en masse. I'll look into it, see what's going on.
　Mr. Jack gives me a difficult look.

'Brother, we'll pass on the information if we find out anything, too. It can't be for free, though.
　Peter snickers.
That information is bought by Fujiwara Trading Company, Peter-dono.
'Oh!　Well, keep up the good work.

　And so the rest of the day was spent chatting and the place was closed.　


　◇


　--The way home.


Huh ... that was nerve-wracking.
　I left the VIP room and stretched wide.
'Ah, the food was good!'
Hmm?
　Me and Sa-san looked at each other.
　Our impressions of each other are totally different........

"You're too nerve-wracking, Asa-san.
Yeah?
　Sa-san looked puzzled.
　Cute!　You bastard.

That's right!　Lady Sasaki's statement shortened my life span!
　Me and Nina-san, we lightly accuse each other.

''Ummm ... but with my 'intuition' skills, Chieftain-san didn't seem dangerous at all,''
　Apparently, Sa-san used his 'intuition' skills to make a decision.
　But still, the other party is the head of the mafia (don), you know?

'It's a big labyrinth, I've been living with my gut every day, trusting my instincts...'　
There's no better place to develop your wild instincts...
　At Sa-san's words, Fujiyan said as if he was dumbfounded.

''What are you going to do now, Fujiyan?''
I will continue to investigate the Order of the Snake. I'm curious to know what's causing the increase in the volume of drug (weed) trafficking.
　Nina also seems to be helping Fujiyan.

　I'm sorry about the situation of asking only the two of us to do this, but I and Sa-san are amateurs when it comes to gathering information, so we went back to the inn that day as adults.　


　◇


　--The next day.

'Makoto!　Your sister wants to see you!
　Prince Leonard arrived.
"All the way down here in person?
　Why don't you just send out an errand boy?

''We haven't been able to train together lately, have we!
　Moo, Prince Leonard with a pouting lip.
　OH, cute.........

　I practiced water magic with Prince Leonard for a while, and then we headed to First Ward Street.
　I thought we were going to the inn where Prince Leonard was staying, but what we were assigned was a restaurant that was said to be for the nobility.

　I opened the ornately decorated door, walked up the stairs, and was shown to a room at the far end of the restaurant.
''Please, this is a special room reserved for royalty only.''
Hi.
　I thanked the waiter at the restaurant for giving me the tour.

(You've been on the edge of the VIP room lately.)

We've been waiting for you. Makoto the Brave.
　Waiting in the room was Princess Sophia in a red dress.