When he returned to the sunlit pavilion, he found a strange space.

'Oh, Yashiro-san, ......!

Jeannette spotted me and rushed over to me.

'How long has this situation ...... been going on?'
'It's ...... been almost an hour .......'

Inside the sunlit pavilion, a dozen or so stern, muscle-bound men stood around. They have huge swords hanging from their waists for all to see.
All of them, with their huge bodies, were standing there without doing anything.
In the middle of the room, there was a man with long hair sitting alone in a chair.
He is staring at us with a grin on his face as we enter the restaurant.

There were no other customers.
At this time of day, a group of moms with their kids would usually be there to eat cake. ...... I've made a new cake, and this is ruining it.

'You'.

Estella said briefly, walking over to the Longhorn, who was sitting in a chair by herself.

'What's this all about?If you're interfering with my business, I'll take the appropriate action, okay?
'Business obstruction~?Huh?What are you talking about?

He spoke in a way that struck a nerve.
And then he stares at Estella with a smirk on his face like he's about to throw up.
She's enjoying playing with people.

'I'm just taking my time because the lady there told me to take my time...'

When I looked at Jeannette, she looked annoyed and nodded her head.
Ginette always says 'take your time'.
I see. ...... So now you've come to me like this.

'Or what?You're not supposed to take your time, but you said 'take your time'?Then, she'll have to become a frog, right?

The men filling the floor laughed in unison at Long-hair's words.

'There's a limit to what you can do, don't you think?
'Sorry~, I don't have any common sense~'

The men laugh again.

Estella bites her lip in annoyance.
You can't reason with someone like this who doesn't want to talk to you from the start.
That's the type of person Estella doesn't like.

All right, I'll do some probing.

'I'm sorry, but this is a place for 'guests' to relax.

I look at the big guys standing there.

'It's nothing more than a business obstruction for 'non-customers' who haven't even ordered to stay for a long time, isn't it?

Seemingly anticipating such a response, the long-haired man licked his tongue as if he had been waiting for it.

'I ordered a cup of tea, didn't I?
'What about the men around you?
'They didn't order anything. So they're not sitting down, are they?
'So because they're not sitting, they're not 'staying'?
'Oh, yeah. We're not disturbing you. We can leave as soon as another customer comes. You have an empty seat, right?You can sit down if you want. Isn't that right?
'I'll tell you what. You're in my way.'
'I'm not impressed with the way a waiter talks to a customer.
'You're the one who said I'm not a customer, aren't you?
'Yes, I did. But you're a person who might become a customer in the future.Are you sure you want to treat them like that?Yeah, you're in the customer service industry. I'm not sure what to say.

It's an implied threat, 'I'll spread rumors and make a mess of things.

'It is an obstruction of business for a non-customer to stay in the store for a long time. It's a theory even an idiot can understand, but you're too stupid to understand it.'
'Hey, hey. Don't get carried away or I'll kill you.'
'Then we can get rid of them right away. You want to try it?

I'm bluffing with a bluffer.
He's not gonna touch you. Or rather, you lose if you mess with him, like this.

'....... There's a pretty tough guy here.

The longhair distorts his face.
But then he immediately grins and glares at me. Provocatively.

'All right. All the people here are my friends, and they came here to accompany me. ...... If the people accompanying me stay for a long time, they will complain, right?Of course.

What is it?What are you going to do next?



'Hey'.
'Hey.'

Longo calls out, and one of the men standing behind Longo arrives at the table.
Then, in a thick voice, he says to Jeannette.

'You have a visitor. Bring me the menu.'
'What?Oh, yes!

Jeannette returns to the counter and takes the menu.

'Tea. Give me the cheapest one.'
'Yes, .......'

Ginette glances at me. ...... Well, we'll just have to serve it.
I nodded, and Jeannette went into the kitchen.

'Hahahaha!I'm sure you won't say 'take your time'!d*mn it!Isn't the service getting worse in this restaurant?

The big men started laughing at the longhair's words.

'So?What's this about?

Estella asks in an angry voice, her anger quietly building up.
As if to strike a nerve, the longhair stares at Estella with a lecherous glare.

'My chaperone has just been replaced by your man's chaperone.
'Huh!
'It's not like it's off-limits to non-guests, is it?I'm allowed to stay for a little while, right?How many minutes?How many seconds?I don't care how long, you decide. After that time, you're no longer with him. You'll be with me instead.'
'You can't be serious ......!

I stop Estella from raising her voice.
I put my arm out in front of her and interrupt her.

You don't have to talk. These scumbags are my ...... prey.

'I understand you very well.
'Huh. So you agree that I'm right?'
'Stay as long as you like. One year, ten years. Stay as long as you like.
'Ha-ha-ha-ha!That'd be great!'

The long-haired man belly-laughed and stood up, peering very closely at my face.
His piercing eyes were right in front of me.

'Well, I'll let you do that, ............ hehehehehe'.

He laughed in an unpleasant voice, shook his shoulders triumphantly, and returned to his seat.
She sits down and crosses her legs in a showy manner.

'Loretta.
'Yes, sir.'

I call Loretta and take her to a corner of the store.
She sits down at a table at the end and takes out a pen and paper from her breast pocket.

'Take care of it for me. You're a dumb girl, so write down what you need so you don't forget.'
'I'm not an idiot!

I can feel the eyes of the longhairs and the big men gathering.
But I ignored them and wrote down the 'necessary things' on the paper.

The time is ...... sixteen o'clock. ............ Just in time, I guess.

'If you don't have enough manpower, you can ask your brothers and sisters to help you.
'Is there so much to buy?
'There's not much to buy, but you're an idiot.'
'I'm not an idiot!

I handed the note I'd written to Loretta.
Loretta's eyes sparkled as she skimmed through the contents.

'All right!I'll take care of it!

Slapping her chest, Loretta goes to Estella.

'Come on, Estella. You're coming out with me!
'What?Me too?
'Yeah, go ahead, go ahead. I'm sure you're just annoyed to be here.
'But, Yashiro, ......?
'Just go. Go help ...... Loretta.'
'..................'

Estella stares at me.


Then he lifted the corners of his mouth in a wry smile.

'I can't help it. I'll help you.
'Well, I'm off!
'Oh, are you going out?

Ginette returns with tea and asks Estella and Loretta as they leave.

'Yes, sir!
'It's just a little errand.
'Well, take care.'

Ginette bows and sees Estella and Loretta off.
Ginette then placed the tea on the table of the large man who had declared himself her guest.

'Hey, what are you up to?

The longhair glares at me.

'No, nothing. We've got two unusual guests who may be staying for a long time. I have a lot to do.'
'Hmm, ......, I don't like this guy.'
'Well, thank you. Oh, yeah. About what you were saying earlier. Seventeen minutes.'
'Huh?'

He must be dumb. Hearing the specific number seventeen, the longhair frowns.

'Didn't you just say that?Tell me what's an acceptable length of stay for a companion. I can decide, can't I?Then every seventeen minutes. And every seventeen minutes, it's gonna be one of you or the other. Violate that, you're out.
'You're ...... still up to something, ......!
'Don't worry. It's just for today.

I say in a calm voice, trying to calm the long hair that's starting to stand up.
It's just for today. ...... I don't even know what's okay with that, but when someone says it's okay, you kind of get the feeling it's okay.
Look at it. The long-haired man also sat back in his chair. He's got a look on his face like, 'Well, it's okay. He looks uncomfortable.

'Hey, Jeannette. You see that hourglass I made that tells the fine time?'
'Yes. The one with the lines in it, right?'
'Yeah, that's the one. Bring it to him. I'm sure it'll be useful.'
'Yes, sir.

There's an hourglass I made because I started making cakes and I thought it would be better to know the exact time. It's just a simple thing with lines drawn on it for every minute, but it's useful for baking cakes.

'I'll leave it on the counter, then.

With that, Ginette places a large hourglass on the counter.
It is a large hourglass that can measure an entire hour.
When Jeannette turns it over, the sand begins to fall.

'So, we'll start now.
'So, what are you doing?

Longhair glares at me, annoyed.

'If there is a clock, people will want to go home early.

That's why clocks are hidden from customers in many coffee shops. This is to make people feel more relaxed. In many amusement parks and game centers, clocks are placed only in limited places. It is necessary, but if you want people to relax without worrying about the time, you should take such a measure.

I'll do the opposite. Go home early, you idiot. That's the signal.

'Well, Jeannette. Get me some food. I got nothing to eat over there, and I'm starving.'
'Yes, sir. Then what would you like to eat?'
'Well, I'd like to try the ............ sunny-side up kaiseki.

It's the most expensive menu in this restaurant.
It is a gorgeous looking dish with a lot of side dishes arranged in small portions using decorative cutouts.
Naturally, it takes a long time to make. However, there will be no more customers today ...... for a while.
That's why I thought I'd take my time to have it made.

'It's going to take a while, isn't it?
'Don't worry. I'll make a flag for the children's lunch.
'Then, please wait a moment.

With a bow, Jeannette walked into the kitchen.


That's right. You should just forget about this troublesome thug and cook your favorite food to your heart's content.

'Hey, hey. Why don't you just leave the customers alone?
'What is it?An addition?'
'Are you kidding me?
'Well, take your time, sir.'

He knocks on the longhair table, and I walk past him. Bring me the materials to make the flag.
Naturally, I'll be working in the cafeteria. I'm not letting these dangerous people out of my sight.

I get the materials and start making the flag.
A heavy silence falls over the cafeteria.
On the way, the church bell rings. It's the end of the day, which means it's 16:00.
The men's eyes, which until then had been focused on the hourglass, were scattered by the sound of the bell. It seemed to have broken their concentration to a good degree.

'Yashiro-san. Sorry to keep you waiting.
'Oh, thank you.

Not long after that, my meal was brought to me. It took about thirty minutes from the time I ordered. It's gotten a lot faster.
Oh, you're more enthusiastic than usual. Perhaps Ginette was feeling a certain amount of stress. She smiles with a smile on her face as she holds a dish that she is very proud of.

'Wow, that looks delicious~'
'Keh!I'm not going to let you ...... see this, you're annoying!

Hmm. It's a dish you can't get your hands on because you'd rather waste your time with a cup of cheap tea. You must be jealous.
You can order it if you want.If you can afford it.

'You want some?
'Oh, you're giving it to me?
'No, I'll take your money.
'What the hell is that?
'People call this 'business'.
'Don't say something you don't understand!

You don't know what you're talking about? ...... I see. ...... You have a sorry head.

'Then, let's eat.

When I opened my mouth and started to eat, the ruffians all looked at me.
But it was a bad choice.
I don't know what you want to do by gathering such an unbearable group of people.

This is the kind of work that should be done by people with patience. ...... Well, I doubt very much that harassing a restaurant can be called work.
Harassment is a race against time.
No matter what the restaurant says to you, you must stand tall, ignore it, not hear it, not see it, not speak it, and not move away. If you can't do that, this is not the place for you.

I ate my meal slowly for about forty-five minutes under the gaze of the ruffians staring at me.
I left my seat once in the middle of the meal to turn over the hourglass, but after that I spent a graceful time in a corner seat.

'Mr. Yashiro. Would you like some dessert after dinner?'
'Oh, that sounds good. I think I'll have a fruit tart.'
'Then, I'll go prepare it.
'Oh, but first, Ginette.
'Yes?

I stop Ginette as she starts to return to the kitchen.
He's been standing by my side the whole time. He was probably uncomfortable in the presence of the ruffians, but he had nothing to do because there were no customers.
The hours of idleness and inactivity were taking a toll on his strength and energy. Ginette must be very tired.

'Go rest for about thirty minutes before you eat my cake. You haven't eaten, have you?'
'But ......'.
'I'm fine. I'm full right now, and besides, I can handle customer service!I'm good at customer service.
'Soo...... that's right. I'm looking forward to working with you.

Ginette bowed and retreated to the kitchen.
On the floor of the diner, there are about a dozen ragtag people and me.
I can't help it. I'll just serve them.

'Sir~, do you have any itchy parts?
'Shut the f*ck up!You're pissing me off, so shut up!

He's probably hungry. He's very irritated.



'Hey, hey . Don't be so crunchy. It's not like the omake around the Imagawa-yaki. ...... Pfft!
'It's not funny!Don't laugh, you're annoying!

It's not funny or too much!
I was so frustrated that I just stared at him with lazy eyes. Then, he turned away with a scowl on his face.
Isn't that too much?

Thirty minutes passed with him completely ignoring me.

'Yashiro-san. Fruit tart and iced tea.

By the time Jeannette had finished her break and brought me the cake, it was starting to get dim outside the window.

'Oh, I was just getting hungry. I'm sorry to have come at such a good time.

She flicked her tongue adorably out of the corner of her left mouth like a famous cake shop sign girl.
The fruit tart isn't really my mom's taste, though.

I can clearly see that my every word and action is irritating the ruffians.
The inside of the restaurant was filled with a whirlpool of sludge and hatred.

'Mmm~, yummy~!

You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few things to do. ...... He must have lost his temper. ...... He raised a tightly clenched fist and swung it down at the table beside him.

I'm sure you'll agree.

Just before the big man's fist and the table collided, I said a few words that stopped the big man's movement.

'Also, everyone involved will be banned.

He turns his head in a circular motion, like a broken doll, and looks at the big man as if to poke fun.
With an audible grunt and a clench of his teeth, the big man took a step toward me.

'Stop!

It was the voice of the longhair that stopped him.
The big man glared at the longhair with a disgruntled look. However, Longo muttered a word with a face more terrifying than that of the big man.

'Can't you hear what I'm saying?

Oh, ......, you're in control.
It's domination by fear, though.

I don't know what the longhair is to these guys, but I guess the big guy can't argue with the longhair.
The big guy goes back to where he was and stares at me, his facial muscles twisted to the point of twitching.
You look like you're about to burst a blood vessel, that expression.

--And then...

'Onii-chan!

A hamster boy bursts into the store.

'Whoa!

The hamster boy turned a blind eye to the strange scene in the store, and stiffened in an amusing way.

'This is ...... exactly ............ a big bag of muscles!

It's Hammaro.

'Oniichan......'.

Hammaro stares at me.
I nodded my head, and Hammaro gave me a 'good' look.

'Sweaty, poisonous gas!
'What the hell, kid?
'YEAH!

Hammaro said what he wanted to say and ran out of the restaurant.
...... That look was a 'can I tell you? ............ How much did you want to say in that last line?

I'm not sure what to make of it.
The Yashiro Theater at Dusk.

I looked at the hourglass and saw that another thirteen minutes had passed. Soon, all the sand will be gone.

'Hey, you big guy over there.

I call out to the big guy staring at me.

'It's been almost two hours. ......'

I point to the hourglass with my chin and ask.

'Which one are you with now?
'............, huh?
'No, "Huh? No, not 'huh'. You change to one of them every seventeen minutes, right?'

The big man is understandably flustered. You can clearly see the panic in his anger-heated brain.

'No, .......'
'Hmm?You're not?If you're not with either of us, then you're a complete outsider, and I'm going to have to ask you to leave right now.'

The big man turns his gaze impatiently to the longhair.
You want me to ask the longhair's opinion? Fine. Do what you want.

'I'm pretty sure I was with the big guy first, right?Is that okay?'

Longhair looks at the hourglass.
And frowns profusely. ...... Oh, so that's it.

A smile leaks out of his face.



'Alright. I'll give you a hint.'

With that, I stand next to the hourglass. When the sand inside crosses the second line from the bottom, I open my mouth again.

'In exactly one minute, that's two hours minus one minute ......, or one hundred and twenty minus one equals one hundred and nineteen minutes.

The men and even the longhair showed their dismay at the string of numbers. It seems that their minds are quite confused.

'And the seventeenth part of one hundred and nineteen is seven.

It's a simple division, but ...... it seems to be difficult for these guys. The wrinkles on my face are growing by the minute.

'Therefore, this is the seventeenth time in seventeen minutes.

When I emphasize the word 'seventeenth', the longhair looks up.

'The first time was from you, so ......'.

As he says this, he points to the big man. Then he points his finger at himself, 'once,' and again at the big man, 'twice. The rest of the time he points at himself and the big man in turn, and the seventh time he stops is at himself - the longhair.

'What?It's me!Hey, you guys are with me, right?
'Yeah, ...... yes!Yes, I am!
Me too!
'Me too!

One after another, the big guy says, 'I'm with the longhair.
Meanwhile, the sand slips away and crosses the last line. Fifty-nine minutes.

'Me, too!
'Me too!

There were only two people who said so at the fifty-nine minute mark.

'Oh, that's too bad!

I snapped my fingers involuntarily.

'd*mn!You stink!You stink, you guys!

Longhair taunts the two who were late.
The two being chastised slumped their shoulders and looked down.

Oh, I see. So that's the misunderstanding.
No, no. It's the other way around.

Well, I'll tell you the truth here.

'You've just started the seventeenth minute of the eighth degree.'

I say, emphasizing the 'eyes' this time, to the longhair who looks at me with a triumphant look while breaking out in a cold sweat.
And then, as if the longhair noticed something wrong, he frowned.

'The first seventeen minutes were with the big guy over there. ......'

I pointed to the big guy and said 'one', then pointed to the longhair and said 'two'.
I counted 'three, four, five, six, seven......', pointing alternately as the longhair had done, and stopped my finger when I said 'eight'.

'For the eighth time, seventeen minutes from now, it's against the rules unless you're with me.

I say to the person in the direction of my fingertip, the longhair, with a big smile on my face.

'So, all of you who said you were with the Longhorn in the previous turn, get out. I thought we were going to be wiped out, but there were two of us left. Too bad.
'What the ......?

The long-haired man's eyes widened, and a deep crease appeared between his brows.

'......, you set me up, didn't you?
'What are you talking about?I was just clarifying a vague rule and announcing the start time.

I even stated that the rule was for today only.
It's a rule only for you.

'If you could do simple math, you wouldn't make any mistakes, and since you couldn't even do that, I even gave you a hint. I even gave you a hint.

It was Longyou himself who misunderstood it as 'seven changes' and started counting from himself instead of from the big man.

'...... Hey, hey, hey, don't stare at me with a scary face.

I mock the longhair, who stares at me with evil eyes, and say.

'I've been playing by the rules you've set for yourselves.You should be thanking me.'

It was the longhairs who came up with this rule.
I'm allowed to set the time, and if I exceed it, I'm out.

'Then let's have those who stayed too long get the hell out of here.
'Hey, wait!They're not with me after all!Think about it. ......'

I straighten my arms and point at the noses of the longhairs who are trying to make excuses.

'Hmm?What did you say?
'............ d*mn!It's nothing!

Words, the moment they are uttered and the moment they are written, carry a responsibility.
There are times when the words you say walk on their own and are used in situations you never thought possible. But the responsibility is borne by the one who uttered them.
It is not uncommon to be blamed endlessly for a gaffe made decades ago.



That's what you said to yourself just now. You've got to take responsibility.

'Now, if you'll excuse me for interrupting your business, I'd like to leave.

With a graceful wave of his arm, he leads his customer's companion to the door.
The longhair, who had been staring at my movements with her mouth shut, clicked her tongue and said to the big guys.

'.................. Hey.'
'...... Hey.'

After a brief exchange, the men leave the cafeteria.
As they did, they glared at me as hard as they could as I stood by the door.

'Hey, hey, what's going on?You're getting in my way, aren't you?
'Not at all. It's just too hot.

A familiar voice is heard from the other side of the large men who are walking out of the store.

'If you're not a customer, get the hell out of here!
'You're so brazen, aren't you?

It was Delia and Norma who came in through the crowd of big men near the door.
I'm glad you're here. You're invited, of course.

'I'm here, too.

And Imelda came in a little later.
She wanted to show off. ...... She should have come in with me, but she's obsessed with small details, isn't she?

In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site. One on one. He looks into their faces and says in a clear voice.

'Get out of the way.
'You're an eyesore.

The big man, having been clearly confronted, tries to draw the sword hanging from his waist.
But ......

''--!

Delia holds the hilt of the sword.
With that, the big man seems to be unable to pull the sword out. There was nothing he could do in front of Delia's power.
And before the big man could get a grip on the hilt, Norma had placed a smoking pipe right on the big man's neck.

I can see it at a glance. There was too much difference in their abilities.
That's why the big man can't do anything against Delia and Norma, the two of them.

'Oh, no. You're making a lot of noise. I'll just have a nice cup of tea.

Imelda said and walked over to the large man in the chair and stood up.

'Please step aside. I'm in the mood for a cup of tea here today.
'...... Ah!

In the event that you've got any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site.

I'm not sure what to make of that. ''''

It's Imelda's group from the Woodcutter's Guild.
............ You've already been to the 42nd district?


The man, as expected, could not keep his composure when surrounded by so many hot ...... and swarthy ...... and burly woodcutters, and began to sweat profusely from his forehead.

'I'll tell you one last time. 'Stand down!
'...... is, yes ............'.

At Imelda's words, the big man stood up and gave up his seat.

'You're gonna ...... do it!

The long-haired man shouted and kicked over the desk.

'Hey!You guys!I don't give a shit!Come on in, all of you!I don't want to get mixed up in this!Let's tear this place down and make it impossible to operate!

The big man outside did not respond to ............ the voice of the longhair.

'Hey!What's going on?Come on in!'

With that, countless large men came into the store.
However, ......

'...... Eh, who are you guys ......?'

It was not a bunch of ruffians.
The long-haired man was confused and stunned by the large men coming in one after another.

'These guys are my business associates.
'These are the guys I love.

They were the fishermen of the river fishing guild and the craftsmen who worked as sheet metal workers and blacksmiths in the hardware street.
I've met them a few times myself, but ............ their faces are as scary as ever. ...... They make the ruffians look like moe characters. I'm sure you'll agree.

It's not only that these people are acquaintances of Delia and Norma, they are also acquaintances of mine. They change every seventeen minutes to be with one or the other, but don't worry about it. Just tell me if I'm in your way. I'll get rid of him.

The longhair's face twisted into a perceptible contortion.



'...... Huh, hmm. I see. I see what you mean.'

The longhair smiles, though he's sweating cold.

'You're right, it's probably best to back off for now. But hey!This isn't the end of it, okay?This store is going to be open for business tomorrow and the day after, right?How long can an all-out war like this last one go on?
'Total war?What are you talking about?
'Don't quibble!I know you've gathered everyone in the 42nd district who has any skill at all!Most likely, the ordinary, featureless woman you gave the note to ran off on an errand!

It was Loretta, apparently.

'But that's too bad!We just weren't prepared enough this time, and there's plenty we can do about it!
'Oh. ......'

The long-haired man's eyes were swimming with pride.

'Well, we can't afford to be so cavalier now!In this situation, I'll gather as many of my men as I can and surround this store with them ......!

The stubborn longhair spat and bellowed.
At that time--

'''Ryoshu-samaaaaaaaaaaaa!''

Suddenly, a cheerful voice is heard from outside the cafeteria.
It's the voices of a bunch of kids.

''What, what now?
'Hey, bro!We're in trouble!

One of the ruffians, who had been driven outside, comes running in, looking distraught.

'There's a terrible army outside!
'An army?

The longhair runs, pushes aside the ragtag group standing in front of the door, and rolls out.
I follow him. Slowly.

'............, ............!

The longhair, who had gone outside and looked in the direction of the church, stiffened with a shocked expression on his face, as did the other ruffians who had witnessed the scene earlier.
He opened his mouth wide and gaped.

The longhairs stare at ......
The shadows of fifty or so soldiers hovered over the dimly lit street as dusk approached.
Their footsteps echoed as they marched from the city gate along the planned road.

'Hey, is that you, Lord Ryoshu?
'Roushi-sama!

In front of the sunlit pavilion, a large number of children carrying small flags with the emblem of the lord were crowding in.
They were shouting at the top of their voices, waving the flags with their tiny arms.

'Ryoshusama!
'Ryoshu-samaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Cheers that cut through the evening darkness fly toward the soldiers who are still marching far away.
The glowing bricks placed at even intervals along the planned roadway make the majestic march of the soldiers even more dignified. From time to time, the blades of the spears glittered in the reflected light.

'What ............ is this place, ......?
'You want to interfere with the sale of cakes, don't you?'

At the words thrown from behind, the longhair shakes his shoulders and looks back as if distraught.
Ahead of her, Estella stood with a beautiful but cruel smile on her face, accompanied by vigilante soldiers.

'Cakes are now a major industry in the forty-two districts. ...... If you want to interfere with that, ............'

The darkness of the evening intensified the chilling beauty of Estella's face, creating a chill that was almost frightening.
A devilish murmur escapes from her small lips, which are like ripe red fruit.

'...... You are the enemies of the Forty-two districts. We will do everything in our power to eliminate you.
'Ku......!
'Right.'

I stepped forward in front of the longhair who backed away.

'They've voluntarily abandoned their 'being customers'. If you're ............ the one who said you were going to destroy the Sunlit Pavilion, you don't need to hold back anymore, do you?
It's ............!

That's the only reason we didn't interfere.
The moment he gave up being a customer, his future was set.

Elimination.

You don't have to choose your means.
Don't invaders need to be sanctioned accordingly?

'Yo, I didn't hear that there are this many soldiers in the 42nd district!
''And what the hell are these kids doing here?

The ruffians are in a panic.
They're shouting something, but it's too ugly to listen to.

'It's just your ignorance that you didn't know, right?Why didn't you do your homework when you got the information about the cake?

There was no one who could refute Estella's words.

'It's always been the case that kids go crazy for something, isn't it?It's the same everywhere, isn't it?

In the shadow of the marching soldiers, the kids continued to cheer with unending power.


I'm going to hold one of them in my arms and say to the ragtag bunch.

'The hero who slayed the dragon ......, the great hero of a hundred battles ......, it's always the absolute strongest that the kids are crazy about.'
'Ryoshusama!
'Ryououshusama!

The near screams continued.
Small flags are being waved in a frenzied manner.
This scene must be ...... quite terrifying.

An absolute powerhouse, capable of captivating the most innocent of children.
They're coming at us in packs.
And there are several of them behind Estella.

'If you want to waste your life, you can do it. But before you do, can you give a message to your employer?'

Sweat trickled down his long haired cheeks and fell from the tip of his chin.
I wait until the drops hit the ground and disappear, and then I say in a clear tone.


'Aren't you picking a fight with the wrong person?


You can tell him to think twice about whether you are the right person to mess with .......

'Oh, brother, ......!
'Ugh, shut up!I've already spent the money you gave me!You can't back out now!
'But!
'Shut up!Before the reinforcements arrive, kill everyone here and then run out of the district and you'll be fine!

The longhair pulled out the sword at his waist, as if he was cornered and lost his mind.
Estella, Delia, Norma, the vigilante, and the woodcutter and other big, burly men take their stances and start to kill.
The air was tense, and the atmosphere was beginning to feel like it was about to explode. ......

'...... I'm home'

I heard a flat, small, and very familiar voice.
It's Magda.
She must have returned from hunting.

'...... Out of the way. I can't get through.'

Magda's voice came from beyond the crowd of vigilantes and woodcutters.
......, and at the same time, there is a groan.

Vigilantes, lumberjacks, fishermen, blacksmiths, and big men with big muscles, fearfully clear the way.
Magda was standing at the end of the road.

'............ this again'.

I was speechless too.

'...... We've got a big one today.

Magda was carrying a Bonacon, a super-classic magical beast five times her size.

'Bo, bo, bo, bo, bonacon!

A strange cry rose from the ragtag crowd.
Bonacon is a hexenbiest that is considered difficult to kill even for skilled hunters belonging to hunting guilds.
In addition, with such a huge size, only a ...... monster can hunt it.

'...... Delia, take it.
You can't help it.

I'm not sure what to make of that.

...... Groans.

'Hey, can I just put this in the store?
'Oh, yes. Then take it to the courtyard, please.
'The stall's in the way. Norma, let me leave.'
'Don't be so easy on me.

In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.

...... shudder.

'...... yashiro.'
'Hmm?What is it?'
'...... reward'.
'Yes, yes.'

Magda hugs me around the waist. I fondle its ears.

. ...... scream .

'Naaaaahhh!Oh, that guy!'Toto, tiger people's ears, ears, fuzzy!
'Don't you want to live?
You'll get us all killed!

The ruffians are making a lot of noise.
What the hell. Magda's happy, so why not?

'............ Mwah!

See?

'What the hell is wrong with you people?All of you are such a mess!That's not what I heard at all!

The longhair stomped on the ground and ruffled his hair.

'...... I can't do this. .................. You gotta be kidding me! Goddammit!

After muttering quietly as if a circuit breaker had tripped, he ranted and raved with the emotions that welled up in him.

'You can't fight a war for a pittance like that!What's with all those soldiers?What's with those freaks?And what's with this guy?



Finally, he pointed at me and turned his bloodshot eyes to me through his messy long hair.

'You pretend to be an idiot, but you're really smart, you show a lot of guts when you're on the spot, you touch the ears of the tiger tribe with a nonchalant face. ............ What the hell are you doing?What the hell?
'I don't know what you're talking about, but ...... I'm just a cafeteria worker.
I'm not sure what to say.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what's going on in your life. ...... It is a bit scary, as if you are looking at a broken person.

'Since when ...... did you know this was going to happen?When did you start preparing for this?

In the end, he looks like he's about to cry.
I guess he doesn't know what's going on anymore. He doesn't even know what he wants to do.

'You can't convince me by asking that.
'What?
'More importantly, is ............ okay?'

I lifted my chin and pointed behind my long hair.
The shadow of a soldier was almost upon them, his footsteps echoing in the distance.

'.................. d*mn it!Let's get out of here, you bastards!
'Eh!Ah, yes!'

The ragtag group fled through the space that had been left open for Magda to pass through, almost falling over.
Toward the backs of these ruffians, I gave them a proper send-off like an employee of a diner.

'Please come again!
'Shut up!I'll never come back!

The longhair's howl echoed in the darkening sky.
Now there would be no more of that kind of people messing with the 42nd district.

'Ryoshu-sama!

'Hai!Stop!'Shut the f*ck up!You kids!Shut up for once!


'A monster!Damare!


...... You little bastards. ............ What are you getting excited about!

''Emergency announcement!If you don't quiet down right now, the power you've accumulated will be confiscated and reduced to zero!
'''............'''

The noise stopped for a moment.
...... kids, how much cash do you guys have?

''Oh, um, ...... Yashiro-san.''

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a bit of a jerk. Now that the woodcutter was gone, he appeared in front of me.
However, there were countless question marks on her face.

'I don't know what's going on .......'

Wow, that's the first time I've heard that word in a while, 'gibberish'. Why did you choose that word, 'forced translation magic'?

'Hmmm!In fact, it was all my idea!

The shadows of the soldiers marching from the direction of the city gate finally arrived in front of the Sunken Pavilion.
At the head of the line was ...... Loretta.

''Ah, um, ...... this is ............''
'''Oningyou-saaaaan!

Behind Loretta, her younger siblings said in unison.
Each of the younger siblings was holding a wax figure dressed like a soldier.

'Is this the soldier's ...... true identity?

Ginette looked at me like she was asking a question, so I nodded broadly.

I used the note to ask Loretta for a favor.
I also told her to ask Delia, Norma and Imelda for help, but the most important thing was this guy.

"Have Becko make fifty wax figures of soldiers. When it gets dark outside, use them to stage an imaginary march.

That's what I wrote.
Becko is a man who can finish my wax figures in about 40 minutes. I figured he could do fifty of them in about two hours if he didn't care about the details.
But he did a good job.
Although I said two hours, I was expecting it to take longer. ...... When Hammaro jumped in, I was surprised, 'What, already? I was so surprised.

Yes, yes. Hammaro's arrival was the signal that the grand march was ready.

'The west side march is a great success thanks to me!

Loretta says proudly, with a chest full of nothing.
Yes, yes, yes. I'll give you a prize next time.

So if Loretta's in the west, Estella's in the east.

'You've done well, haven't you?
'No, ......'.



For a man who's just had such a great success, you're looking a little glum.
What's the matter, Estella?

What's wrong, Estella? 'You can stretch your breasts even if you don't have any.No one will be angry or cry.'
'I'm not holding back!Who's going to cry?

After one coughing fit, Estella looked like a man with a neck injury and shyly let her gaze slip away.

'To be honest, I wasn't very calm until we got outside. After Yashiro's note pointed it out to me, I finally saw what I needed to do. ...... I'm sorry about that.'
'Hmm?Oh.

Estella had fallen right into the trap of that longhair.
So I wrote in the memo I gave to Loretta, 'Get Estella out of here' and wrote to Estella, 'You should be active where you live'.
I'll take care of people like that.
The right people in the right places.

'But I can't believe you're using my children, too. ......'

Estella's expression finally returned to normal, as if she had exhaled the heavy air.
Then she smiled bitterly as usual.

'It's actually a great thing when a kid gets carried away. They and I both had things we were crazy about back then. If you think back to that time, you can understand firsthand how great it is to get kids hooked.

The kids in the 42nd district are obsessed with "Lord" to the point of being fanatical about it.
But it's not because they're vigilantes, or because they're fascinated by the Lord, as some ruffians mistakenly think.

I used Loretta to tell the kids this.

I used Loretta to tell the kids that if they cheered for the vigilante procession coming from the church this evening, showing the banner of the lord, the 'super lord power' would build up and it would be great.

...... Well, I'll have to think about what the "great thing" is after this. ...... Ten jackpots in a row? Yeah, there's something special about a big one. Okay, I'll have Becko make one.

I didn't know children's lunches came in handy here.

The small flag with the Lord's emblem that the kids were waving so hard was the well-known children's lunch flag. And the imprinting of 'lord = good thing' is another achievement of the children's lunch.

'So, boys and girls, take the flag with the full amount of your lord power and go to Ginette's sister to get the voucher!
'''' Yes! ''''
'Eh!What?What's a voucher?You know, Yashiro-san!
'Anything is fine as long as you can identify yourself. Just give me something.
'Eh?Yes, yes!I'll give it a try!

Ginette walked into the cafeteria while being jostled by a huge number of kids.
...... I'm sorry, Jeannette. I just don't want to have to deal with the power of those kids. It's too hard.

'Will the ragtag guild stop messing with the Forty-two districts now?
'It might not stop them, but it should be fine for a while.

I let them know firsthand that they would be badly burned if they messed with us.
If we can buy a little time, we might be able to take measures in the meantime.
In the meantime, let's work together with the 40th district and work out a countermeasure against the ruffians.

'Yashiro-san. Is the case closed?

Imelda approached me, twirling her parasol.
Behind her are Delia and Norma.

'Oh. Thanks for your help.
'I mean it!You can count on me, so just leave it to me!

Delia slaps him on the chest.

'I'm done with this. I don't want to have to call you anymore.

Norma puffs on her cigarette after a hard day's work.

'It's no trouble at all for me!

She opens her parasol and twirls it around and around, even though the sun is not shining. ...... Kabuki.

'You big guys over there, you've been through a lot!
'Oh, no, Yashiro-chan. You're so rude to me!

...... the blacksmiths. Not all of them. Not all of them are like this. But when it comes to the strong-armed people you can gather with the Norma, these are the only ones. ...... Thank goodness you didn't say a word.

We'll do anything for you, Yashiro!We'll do anything for you! We'll give you the master's sweets and Omero's brother's life at .......''
'''Please do one thing for us in the future!

......The fishermen of the river fishing guild. ...... Omero is in a position where he's not sure if he's being adored or abandoned.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure it's a good idea.


'Tsundere, you stupid muscles.'

The Lumberjack Guild, for better or worse, is still the same.

Once again, they've used a large group of people to put on one of their grand theatrics, but ...... that doesn't mean they're perfect.

'We could show Bekko the Bonacon skull that Magda captured and display a replica in the square.
'That might be a good idea. If there are children running around it, carrying the banner of the lord, ......'
'...... might be a good scare for the ruffians who came to scout.'
'Our underpowered vigilantes aren't enough to stop them. If it can be a deterrent, I'm all for it.
'Well, that's about it then.'
'Yeah. Thanks again for your hard work.

I exchange a high five with Estella.
I also high-fived Delia, Norma, and Imelda, and patted Magda on the head with a joke about passing Loretta by.
Magda's battery seemed to have run out, and she was asleep in the garden when I noticed her.



The enemy is unspecified, so we have to defend ourselves.
It's been a long detour, but it should hold us over for a while.

Criminals go for things that don't have fangs.
Once you give them a big bite, they will be quiet for a while.


However, if the opponent is stubborn, it will be more troublesome from there. ............


For now, let's bask in the victory.
And tomorrow, I'm going to work hard and make all the money I missed out on today!