In this world, there is a thing called the "Judgment of the Spirits".
Thanks to this, it is possible to create a binding force even if the matter is not written in the contract.
In other words, even if there is no deadline written in the IOU, if you say 'return by when' and the other party says 'okay', that becomes the deadline.

If you're not sure what to do, you can always ask for help from a friend.

'...... didn't you come?

One evening when Jeannette was finally getting used to wearing her apron dress and mini-skirt.
I was sitting on a chair in the audience, staring at the entrance.

'Mr. Yashiro. What's wrong?

Ginette noticed me staring at the entrance and called out to me.
I'm not going to say ...... that you're talking to me while I'm working.
After all, there are no customers.

The apron dress that I wore was only met with praise from old lady Mum, who came to drink tea every day.
It really is a store with no customers. ......
I'm not sure what to do.
I think I'll advertise .............

'Yashiro-san?'

I was thinking and forgot to reply.
The next thing I knew, Jeannette was looking right into my face.
Oh, ......!Cleavage!There's cleavage peeking out!No, it's me who's looking into her cleavage.

'Ginette, nice!
'What?............ Phew!

Ginette noticed my gaze and jumped back.
When she does, she sways with a 'pop'.
Nice pointy thing, Jeannette!It's not a trick I can calculate.
I'm really glad Ginette is a natural.

'Moo, moo, moo!Mr. Yashiro!Please repent!

I think there are a lot of people who need to do more penance than me.

And so, my gaze once again turns to the entrance.

'He's not coming.
'Who is it?Oh, is it Estella?

There's no need for Estella to come.
What I'm waiting for is ......



'It's Gooziya.'
'Oh. The carpenter.
'Yes, the eater.

Ginette has a habit of trying to wrap everything up in an offhand way.
But the escape would have had more impact than the carpenter.

And that Goozja...
He said he'd pay the 640Rb he'd eaten away.
He didn't write it in the contract, but the due date is today.
The time is now evening. It's 18:34 to be exact.
That means the time limit is in a few hours. Then he'll have broken his promise to me.

I was hoping to keep it quiet. ......
Well, if he's going to do that, then we'll do what we have to do.
I'll do whatever it takes to find him and bring him to the judgment of the spirits.
Sin must be punished.
If you show any mercy here, this store will continue to be underestimated.
It's the end of the world if word gets out that you can overcharge and not get blamed.
The quality of customers will never improve.

If you don't show up today, I'll come to your workplace tomorrow and give you a 'judgment of the spirits' in public.
This is a kind of performance.
It's a very clear advertisement of what will happen to anyone who defies me.

You know, there was a guy who did this.
I think it was Goffredo, the strong macho guy I saw in the bar.
He's a collector, I hear, but I guess it's the same in our world.

If he licks you, it's over.

It sounds like an old delinquent cartoon, but it's not a violent expression, it's an essential concept in business.
There is a case in which a good landlord suffered a loss of nearly four million yen when a malicious tenant overcharged him for five years. This is a case in which a business owner was "licked" by his customers. In the first place, it is not right to let the rent be overdue for five years. The owner of the business is taken advantage of by saying, "I'll wait a little longer because I feel sorry for them.

The less troubled you are, the better you pretend to be troubled, and the stronger you are, the better you cry.
The ones who are never sorry are good at pretending to be sorry.
They have room to act. They have room to act, which people who are truly remorseful don't have.

Furthermore, those who are drunk on their own performance and find themselves becoming the tragic hero are not remorseful at all. 'I'm the worst, aren't I? or 'It's all my fault! Most of them are self-absorbed, remorseless bastards.
If someone says, 'Yes, it was your fault,' you feel like a tragic hero, and if someone says, 'No, it wasn't,' you feel light-hearted because your sins have been forgiven.
In the end, when you say 'I'm sorry' or 'I'm sorry' when apologizing to someone, you are only thinking about yourself.
Why does he do that?



That's because he's licking his chops.

People who can't afford to be silent.
Those who have their escape routes completely blocked and have been pushed to the limit will keep their mouth shut.
There is no excuse that can be made against an opponent who holds your fate in his hands. Those who are remorseful just keep quiet and leave all the rights to the other party.

Well, those who misunderstand a sincere apology as a "declaration of defeat" and grow up are third-rate.
As I said before, those who make a real apology are in a state of exhaustion, both physically and mentally. It's quite damaging for a person to leave all power to the other party. If you ask a person in such a state more unreasonable problems, what will happen? ...... The person will explode. The explosion will cause tremendous damage to the person as well as to those around him. I've known many collectors who have destroyed themselves in this way.
Well, there are many ways to explode, but ...... none of them have ended well.

Reflection and apology. This is not something to be used for conflict, it is something to be done to avoid or end conflict. If you forget or misunderstand this, you will be scheming to 'gain an advantage'.
Neither the one who apologizes nor the one who receives an apology should harbor such shallow feelings.
There is no such thing as 'reconciliation' when there is such a thing.
Once a relationship has broken down, it can never be repaired. Even if the relationship seems to be repaired, it is definitely not the same as before.

So, what I'm trying to say is this: ......

What I'm trying to say is that I'm fed up with the fact that there are scumbags in this world who don't do anything about it.

Goozuya.
If you don't show up at the store by closing time, .................. I'm going to end your life, okay?

'That ...... Yashiro-san?'

Jeannette looked into my face with an anxious expression .

'Your face is ...... scary, isn't it?Is there a problem?'
'No. I think I'm rather good-natured.

I trusted Gooziya, who had done things that would never be trusted again.
That's crazy. You should have just gone in and collected it. ...... If you didn't have the money, there were other ways. Why didn't they do that? ......
You may have been unknowingly influenced by this sycophant.

'Ginette. Maybe ...... I'll be away from home for a while tomorrow.'
'What?Are you going somewhere?

'Ikeru' ...... 'Angry' ...... No, maybe 'crazy'.
It may be necessary to punish him with something a little out of the ordinary and crazy.

'Oh, ......, I might go crazy.


'Huh?'
'It's nothing.'

'It's the fools who are fooled.
And I'm not stupid.
...... You don't think you can fool me, do you, Goozja?


The hours ticked by, the sun set, and night fell.


...... Huh.
I'm sure you've heard of it. ......

The combination of emptiness and frustration has left me strangely calm.
But I'm not in a normal state of mind.
My heart is chilled.

'Yashiro-san!I'm about to close the store!

Behind the counter, Jeannette says to me.

'...... out of time?

Ginette heads for the entrance.
I follow her, and head for the entrance.
I'm going to be there when the time runs out. The moment Ginette closes that door, Goozja's life is over. ...... I'm going to end it.

'Huh?Mr. Yashiro, are you using the restroom?'
'No. Just close the door, don't worry about it.'
'Yes, ......?

Jeannette looks at me strangely, knowing that I'm not usually present at the closing.
I turned my eyes away from her.
I feel like I'm being infected with sweetness when I look at her.

I looked away and waited for the moment of closing.
If you hear the door close, you're out.


And then...


'Wait up!

You hear a lively sound coming from outside the cafeteria.
There was the sound of several people running ............ and then the door was opened with great force, as if someone was rushing in.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea.I'm not sure if it's a good time or not.

The person who came running in was a small fox.
No, since it was wearing clothes, walking on two legs, and speaking a human language, it must be a fox.

'Are you eating?If so, you're still all right.

Ginette says with a smile.


...... Oh, I see. He has no concept of last orders.
If I don't teach him, he'll suffer a loss someday.

'Whoa!

The fox man shouted when he saw the smiling Jeannette.

'Hey, hey, hey, Beppu!

Something's broken!
What the hell is this guy!

'Hey, just calm down. What the hell is wrong with you?
'Oh, a guy with a stupid face. You can talk to me without being nervous.'
'...... What the hell are you doing?

Are you trying to pick a fight?

'Actually, my apprentice has done something terrible.' ...... Hmm?

The fox people, who had been smiling in a friendly manner, suddenly became frightened and turned their gaze towards the entrance.
Then, he stood up and looked out the door and shouted.

'Hey!How long are you going to stay there?I'm coming in now!Yangboldo, I'm forcing you to come in!

His voice was frightening and reminded me of a scary gymnast. No, it's more like a threat from someone in that line of work.
I was a little taken aback by the way it changed so much.

'Oh, I'm sorry. I'll be right here.

The face facing us was the original soft fox face.
...... What the hell is this guy?

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I'm sure you'll agree.You'll be able to get a lot more than that.
What's going on here, right now?

What the hell is this?
What's going on?

In the midst of my confused thoughts, the horse turned toward me.
I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to try to find out. What's ...... that?

'........................nya'.
'Why?

I couldn't help but poke my head in.


Why the horse meows!

'Yamboldo . I'll joke about it next time.'
'.................. yes'.
'You can't talk!

That means they must be Umajin. But then I saw that he was wearing a dress with his left shoulder hanging wide open.
When I peeked through the entrance, I could only see the part of her skin that was exposed, so I thought she was a horse.

'.................. rampage'.
'd*mn ......'.

At the words of Yamboldo and the others, the man from the Fox tribe let out a sigh and walked out of the dining room.

'Oh, I'm leaving once, but please don't close the restaurant!I'll be right back!

And with that, the fox people left.
As soon as they were out of sight, I heard another threat like a young leader of a gang.

'Don't make me trouble you!I'll just go and make a sincere apology!

I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not.
...... I wonder if it was a kick, that sound.

And then, with a cheerful smile on his face, he came back with the fox people and showed up with Goozuya.
As soon as he entered the store, Goozuya put his limbs on the floor and bowed deeply.

'I'm sorry, sir!

On your knees. ......
If he was so sorry that he got down on his knees, he should have come to say a word or two sooner. If you can't pay, you should have said, 'Can't you wait a little longer?
If you don't do that and suddenly get down on your knees,......

I'm not sure what to say.Please raise your head!You can pay me anytime you want. ......'
'No!That's not how it works!

Ginette was about to say another joke, but the fox man interrupted her before I could stop her.
......'s, but...

'Why are you looking at me?'
'I get nervous when I see you, Beppu.

You're too shy.
The fox man continues to stare at me and speak.

'May I, miss!
'I don't look like a lady to you, do I?
'No, your face is towards your brother, but your heart is towards your daughter.

You're making things complicated.



'Promises shouldn't be broken so easily. Trust is difficult to gain, but it can be lost in an instant.
'But, ......'
'For this man's sake, please don't show him any mercy!

With that, Jeannette closes her mouth.
Your kindness can ruin someone. That's what she said to me once. Even Jeannette can't be so naive if she's told that.

'I just couldn't get the money.

Saying that, the fox man kneels down in front of me. Yamboldo follows suit, kneeling down as well.

'Goozuya is still an apprentice. He's only half a man, and because of that, he doesn't get paid much at all.

Behind the Foxmen and Yamboldo, Goozuya curls himself up and nods.
I don't know if you're a senior or a boss, but you've made your superior get down on his knees,......, and you must be in a state of mind right now.
I'm not sure what to do.

I'm sorry.I'm sure you'll agree with me.That's right!
'Replacement?
'Yes, sir!As a carpenter, it's a disgrace to delay the delivery date!It's something you mustn't do!You'll never get any more work!

Is it really that important to be late?
But the eyes of the fox people were serious, and they seemed to be talking with their lives on the line.

It is true that Goozuya has written in the contract that he will pay for the food and drink he eats at the sunny pavilion.
In the Judgment of the Spirits, if a person who says he will pay does not pay, it may be considered a lie.
In other words, this may be a negotiation of 'I'll pay you, but not the Judgment of the Spirits'.

The fox man explained the difficulty of gaining trust.
If any of his associates were turned into frogs, it would surely interfere with his business. ...... No, it would be a matter of life and death.

'Hey, you. What's your name?'
'Oh, you're me?

The fox man rolled his eyes, then straightened his posture and said politely.

'I am Umaro Torbek. I'm a master carpenter at Torbek's construction company based in the Forty District.
'You're a carpenter in the forty-second district?
'Yes, sir. But I can come to any ward if requested. From new construction to remodeling, I can do it at a reasonable price.



What's the point of advertising it here: .................. No, wait.

'By the looks of it, Gooziya is feeling pretty sorry for himself.
'That's it!We've been tightening up on him.

Goozuya shrank even more, as if he had recoiled from being called by name.

'Actually, I thought something was wrong with Goozuya recently. ...... So I questioned him and found out that he had done something terrible. So, I went to apologize to him and that's how it happened.

A strict but caring master.
A true craftsman.

'But he doesn't have any money at all and says he can't pay. So I'm going to pay for it, and I hope you'll do something about it!

Umaro bows his head deeply. It's a beautiful prostration with the dignity of a master.
Following suit, the giant Umajin Yamboldo and the spindly Goozuya bowed together.

'...... Yashiro-san.'

Ginette turns to look at me.
'Will you forgive him? ' is clearly written on her face.
...... This guy is totally ............

'All right. You can agree to pay for the replacement.'
'Are you sure?

Umaro and Ginette's faces lit up at my words.
Ginette was as happy as I was. ...... at all.

'But on one condition.
'Jeez, conditions ............?
'Actually, I'd like you to renovate this diner.

This cafeteria is so old and worn out that it's on the verge of collapse.
I'd like to rebuild the whole building, but that would take too much time.
So, I want you to clean up the store part at least.

'No, no, no, no, but ............ it's true, you can't ......' renovate a store in exchange for 640Rb.

That's 6400 Japanese yen.
I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot of people who'll be able to help you out. ...... I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot of people who'll help you out. ...... I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot of people who'll help you out.

It is possible to use the judgement of the spirits as a shield to offer a complete renovation of the store part for 6400 yen.

But...
People who mistake a sincere apology for a declaration of defeat and grow up are third-rate.
That's not me.
Even if you force Umaro to do something he can't do here, the benefits will be temporary.
Besides, there's the danger that word will get out that it's a bad diner. The bad guy is Gooziya, who has eaten away, and we have to be in a position to forgive him.


The moment you get greedy, you become the bad guy.

Don't push people around.
People who are cornered will turn violent, like the boss of the scam ring ............ that I destroyed.

Unbeknownst to me, I was rubbing my belly.

'You're right, I'm not going to ask you to do it at 640Rb.

If there was an apology, then we should negotiate on equal terms from there on.
Those who can make a sincere apology will naturally make concessions even if we are not overbearing. They will give us the best they can do without us having to demand it.
It is best if we do not reach out to them, but simply accept what they offer.
In this way, trust is created between us.

Strange as it may seem, the most important thing a con man needs is trust.

'I will pay you exactly what you deserve for your labor. However, I would appreciate it if you would study a little.'
'Yes, of course!I'll give you a discount!
'Then you don't have to accept the 640Rb, right?Ginette.
'Yes!

Ginette, who had been watching me with a worried expression, regained her smile when she heard my words.
I'm sure she was worried that I might make things difficult for Umaro and the others.
He was reassured that 'asking for a discount' was within the acceptable range.

'But, Yashiro-san, ......'

Jeannette soothed, coming up next to me and giving me a covert earful.

'We don't have the money to renovate it, do we?
'Oh, don't worry about that. I have an idea.'
'Oh, really?
'You'll have to get Jeannette's help, but ......'
'If there's anything I can do, I'll do it!

...... Don't say 'I'll do anything' so lightly to a girl.
You'll be sold off to a bad old man.

'Well, I'm not rich either, so I'll give you the best deal I can ...... so that you all don't have to worry about food for a month.
'A month is ...... that's ............ for three people.'

And Umaro folds his fingers and starts calculating.

'............Yes. If you can get that much, it's enough!It will be more expensive than the original renovation, but I'll accept it on those terms, minus the inconvenience this idiot has caused!
'Well then, I guess we've made our bargain.
'I'm counting on you!

I shook hands with Umaro firmly.
Then I turn my gaze to Goozuya, who has barely opened her mouth since we got here.




'Goooooooodya.
'Yes, yes!'

Raising her voice but not her gaze, Goozuya remained prone and tense.

'You've got a good boss. Don't cause too much trouble.'
'............ Yes.'

I'd like to commend Umaro for going this far, via a third party.
Umaro will be convinced that his actions were not in vain, his self-esteem will be preserved, and he will have a good impression of us as 'approving' him.
Above all, the psychological effect of 'not being able to betray' a person who has 'acknowledged' you will be activated.
I am sure that they will put a lot of effort into the renovation of the store.

And then there's Goozuya ......, who's on the verge of breaking down if we don't bail him out soon.

'Gain back the lost trust by working.
'............ Yes.'
'Make sure you get results with our renovations. If you work hard, I'm sure Ginette will reward you.'
'...... What?'

I look up at Goozuya and tell her, 'Look at Ginette.
Goozhya's gaze slid to Ginette, and she nodded with a bursting smile.

'Yes!I'll do my best to prepare your meals during your work period!

After saying that, she looked at me with an awkward look.

'Are you sure you want to go to ......?
'Yeah, I guess so. You can at least treat him to lunch and dinner.
'Really?

Umaro shouts in delight.

In front of him, I sneak an earful to Jeannette.

'(......, we're running low on ingredients anyway)'
' (Yes. It's more profitable to treat them to a meal and have them work hard for it.

After saying this, Ginette chuckles.

'I guess I'm becoming like you, Yashiro.

No, not at all.
You're not naive at all.
Well, let's just say that.

If you can only treat people with good intentions, I'll turn those good intentions into weapons.

When you come to apologize, you'll be met with complete and utter goodwill.
This will make Goozja, as well as Umaro, who is responsible for supervision, feel indebted to us and do a good job.
That would be the benefit.

And after that, there's another tasty benefit waiting for you. ...... Well, that's for later.

'So, when can we start construction?


'We'll be ready tomorrow. ......, we can start the day after tomorrow.
'Then let's get ready to close too. We'll have you work in the kitchen, and you can donate to the church at .......'
'Yes!Let's have the church make it from scratch!

......No, I meant to say canceled. ............Well, okay.

'Well, I'll leave you to it for now!
'Oh, wait.'

I stopped Umaro and the others from standing up and ripped up Goozuya's IOU that I had in my breast pocket.
By tearing it up in front of them, I'm showing them that I trust them.

'The streets are dark at night. Be careful.'
'Thank you. You're a good man, brother.'

And with that, Umaro walks out.
Yamboldo and Goozuya followed, and Goozuya bowed deeply to us just before leaving the store.

The door closes, and today's business is over.

'Mm-hmm.

Ginette laughs happily as she locks the door behind her.

'What's up?'
'You said that Mr. Yashiro is a good man, Mr. Oumarro.

'You're so wrong.

'I'm kind of glad that you understand.

I thought that Ginette, smiling like that, was probably the most good-natured person I knew.

I'm the result of a lot of calculation on top of calculation.
There's no way I'm a good guy.

'I'm going to take a break for a while, so I'll go around and say hello to my regular customers.
'That's right. It would be a shame if you were closed when they came to visit.

No, I'm just going to smilingly pressure them to come back on the day of the reopening. ...... Maybe I'll make some flyers.

'And while I'm at it, I'll do some work for the Garbage Collection Guild.
'By the way, the river fisherman who came to the store the other day said he had some questions about the guild.
'Also, I'd like to go negotiate for fruit, wheat, rice and sugar.
'What about the dairy farmers?
'Milk, ......, let's go there too.

I've got some time on my hands. I've got to put it to good use.



I scrambled around the forty-two wards to prepare for the upcoming reopening.