Today, the Sunlit Pavilion branch is temporarily closed.

''Party at home!
'''Drink up!Sing!''
''Hey, don't run in the store!I'm sorry, Mr. Manager. I'll give you a good scolding.''
'No, sir. It's fun and lively.''
'...... brothers and sisters, help me cook.'
'''' Yes! ''''

I invited the Ham kids over for a curry unveiling.
When I get some real spices, I'll have to feed them to the church kids.

The ...... is just a pretext, though.

With all this activity, Ginette won't be lonely.
Estella says she cares too much, but I would care if she looked at me like that.

'Are you going out?
'Oh, yeah. I'm going to the forty-first district.
'Which is more important, your work or me?
'...... Where do you learn to do that?

I think it's time to rethink the educational environment for ham children. ......

'Yashiro-san. Please have a safe trip.'
'Oh.'

This time, there are various things I want to do as well as a hostile situation inspection.
Well, none of it is official, so I'm going to go alone and get it over with.

Also, I'm in the mood to ...... be alone for a while.

I'm going to go to the 41st district.If you're going to the forty-first district, go see our masterpiece!
'You should see it!
'You should see it!
'See it, you idiot!
'Look at what's going to happen to you!
'Whose end is 'Hair is Gradually Going Away'?

He stroked Hammaro's head hard after he said something rude.

'Oooh ......, a little playfulness mixed with punishment ......!

Hammaro's head is now covered in hair, and he walks unsteadily, his eyes lightly rolling.
Don't think I'm going to indulge you forever.

''So, what's your masterpiece?
'''A statue of the Spirit God!
''Did you make a statue?
''......, located in the central square. The symbol of this tournament.''
'It's quite popular over there that the God of Spirit is watching over us.

Magda and Loretta, who are regular visitors to the 41st District, give us their notes.
I didn't know there was such a thing. I'll go check it out while I'm there.

'Well, I'd better get going.
'Yashiro-san.

As I was leaving the cafeteria, Jeannette came running up to me as usual.

'Be careful.
'Oh. Oh, I'll have Ricardo buy you some food, so you can go ahead and eat.
'Have you already made friends with the neighboring lords?That's great.

No, not at all. We don't get along at all.
But if I don't say so, you'll be waiting till midnight without food, won't you?
I'm moving around a bit today. Just pretend I'm not here and go about your day normally.

'Okay, I'll go.
'Okay. Have a safe trip.'

I greeted him again and left the sunny pavilion.

First, I'd like to check out the venue, see Ricardo if I can, and see Medora who's going to kill the Swarm.
I'd also like to get some information on the "man who eats a lot" that Magda and Loretta mentioned before.
Thinking of the results as the top priority, I decided to go by carriage today,......, but that was a bad idea.

I'm not sure what to do.You can count on me, Yashiro!
'I see you've finally begun to move in earnest. I'm counting on you, general!
'You fool. If Yashiro-san is moving, then this is as good as a victory.
'Then, should we start preparing for the victory party?
'It's too early for that, indeed!

The inside of the carriage became lively.

The carriages, which are funded by the lords of the districts until the tournament, were filled with people heading to the forty-first district today.
...... They all look at me with glittering eyes.

You will find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives.
The muscles in my cheeks twitched lightly. ...... d*mn it.




It's ...... uncomfortable to be expected like this.


Yes, this is not like me.
I'm more like a man who is ...... far away from decency, who is cursed, scorned, avoided, and hated like a scorpion.

He is the worst kind of scammer who has tormented many people in the past.

You can't be a good guy now. ......

It's crazy to be admired.
It's impossible to be expected.
I'm not who you think I am.
Being a nice guy is an illusion, and you're all fooled.

Call me out.
Call me out for being a deceitful a**h*le!
...... someone, please ............ call me out. I'm out of tune, man.

The people of the 42nd district are so sycophantic that they don't know how to be suspicious of others.
Anyway, if only there was a rotten-hearted jerk who was critical of everything I did, who complained about everything I did, and who didn't even listen to my opinions, he would condemn and abuse me,......, I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that there is only one ............ such rotten, cynical person in the world.

'So, Ricardo. Go ahead and curse me.
'Go home!

He's by far the most disgusting person I know. Ricardo Siegenthaler, Lord of the Forty-first District.

I didn't have an appointment, so the gatekeeper sent me away, but I thought, 'Maybe if I try a little harder, I can sneak in...' I thought, 'Can I sneak in if I work a little harder?' So I worked a little harder and managed to sneak in.
I'm currently in the office of Ricardo's mansion.

'How the hell did you get in here? You're like a fly.
'Hey~!Who's a fly? I'll get mad, you son of a b*tc*~'
'Don't you smirk at me!You're creepy!
I'm not sure what to say, but I'm sure you'll understand.It's also a great way to make sure you don't end up in a situation where you can't get out of it. ......
I'm not sure what to say.What kind of pervert are you?
'Who's your kind?
I'm not a pervert!
'--and other incomprehensible things. ......'
'You, really, what are you doing here?

Ricardo shouted, kicking the heavy dark brown office desk violently.
The desk shifts slightly with a heavy ...... thud.

'You've got a temper. It's not good for your health to be so irritated.
'Whose fault is it?
'My parents' genes .......'
'You're the one!It's because you're messing around in front of me!'
'Who's letting you dangle in front of me?
'I didn't say that!Are you deaf as well?

He swung his fist at the office desk and slammed it down.
You'll be sued for sure if there's a will in that office desk.

'I'll let you off the hook for breaking in. If you have no business here, go home!

Ricardo's treatment was quite lenient, despite the blue streaks on his temples.
Heh...... no questions asked......

I'm not sure what to say.
I'll call the vigilante.
'What the hell, I'm worried about you.'
'I don't need you to worry about me!

Giving up on his work, Ricardo leans back in his chair and turns his head around.

'You're making me crazy, you know that?
'Wow, that's a ...... flag. ...... That's a flag that I'm going to rapidly become a dere. ......'
'Who's that?

Ricardo leans out of his chair and bares his fangs at you.
I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've.

'What the hell is wrong with you?I thought he was joking, but he's staring right at the heart of the matter. On the other hand, you're acting like a common sense idiot.'
'...... Hmm. That's a compliment.'
'...... Tsk!

Well, I guess he got it right. A sharp tongue slap came back.
It was an exemplary tongue lashing that would be included as a model in a textbook called 'The Tongue Lashing of a Good Child in Fourth Grade Elementary School.

'You know, trespassing in a lord's mansion is a capital offense!Moreover, we're about to embark on a spectacular war!
'A gluttony contest is a war,' ...... pfft.
'That's what you said!This is a war!
'You're a man obsessed with the past.
'You're just too random!



He's kind of creepy, like he's really mad.
It's just a joke.

'My Lord!What the hell is going on at ......?You're from the forty-second ward!How did you sneak in here?Gather the troops!There's an intruder!

The condescending old bastard who had shown us around before was ranting on and on about how he was willing to die.
The sound of countless footsteps echoed from all over the house.

'Leave it!Leave me alone!

But I'm sure it won't turn out to be a big ...... deal.
Ricardo stands up and gives the condescending old bastard a sharp look.

'Leave him alone. He's my guest.'
'But, Lord .......'
'Don't make me say it twice!
'............ ha!'

The old man hung his head and gave a short reply.
Hearing this, the soldiers who had gathered there began to leave the place in droves.
All of them gave me a resentful look.

'Scary~'
'Trained soldiers are like that.

Ricardo replied to my words as I saw the soldiers off.
Oh, no, no, no. That's not what I meant.

'It's you I'm afraid of.

That's the attitude that gets you through any unreasonable situation with a single word.
In this case, the old bastard's opinion is absolutely correct.
Nevertheless, all it took was a whiff of 'don't go against me' and all the soldiers backed down.

'In this district, if you screw up, we all screw up.
'I'm not going to screw up like that.
'That's a lot of confidence.
'We're hunters, you know.'

Ricardo says proudly.

'We may not be in a guild, but my father and I are as good as any of the hunting guilds when it comes to hunting. Well, your usse is probably not even close to my level.

Ricardo, who is in charge of the branch of the 42nd district, boldly states that he can surpass Use.
It is true that the muscle tone is far from that of the average person,......, but isn't it a bit too much?

I'm sure you've heard of it. This is why the lord of the 41st district must be a strong man, more powerful than anyone else, smart, and able to make quick decisions.
'Then it's Medora, isn't it?
'You idiot!A woman can't be a lord!

Wow, ......, that's a total denial of Estella. ......
Also, if I had said that in Japan, there would have been complaints from various groups.
You're lucky you're from another world.

Anyway. If I take the lead and show them the way to go, the people can move forward without hesitation. That's what a lord is supposed to do.

Unless you're leading the way and you're going the wrong way.

'I'm going to beat you, Obeyashira.

Ricardo stares straight at me.
He's clearly hostile. But the straightforwardness of it, the fairness of it, did not make me uncomfortable.

'I'll fight to win. No matter what you're planning, no matter what tricks you're playing, I'm going to beat you to the punch. Be prepared for that.

That's a clean declaration of war.
I'm beginning to think that this guy is actually a very serious guy.

'It's not me you should be winning against, but Estella. Estella is the representative of District 42.'
'Huh, Estella is no match for me.'

She snickers and sticks her finger at me.

'I only deal with truly strong people. ...... You, Obeyashiro.'

I'm sure that means you think highly of me. ......
If that's the case, then you should fight Estella.
The real threat is not a strong hand, but a player who can control that strong hand.

The courage to stand up to the challenges he faces may be his strength, but it is also his weakness.
Just as the best player does not make a good coach, the bravest man in the world does not make a good lord.
Rather, a man who can take a step back and see things from a different point of view without getting involved in the battle is more suited for such a position.

At the very least, the man Ricardo identified as a threat, Obeyashiro, would not have been able to help if not for the lord Estella.
The one who dragged out the man you yourself said you should be wary of is Estella, who you don't even care about.If you can't see that, you're going to be ...... tripped up.

Don't lose your temper in front of the people you are about to fight with. Always keep your cool and don't let even the slightest thing upset you.
Lack of equanimity will cause a rift.

'Besides, if you get together with Estella, you'll be the lord after all.
'Nyon!



My sense of normalcy has been shattered.

'Pop, Pop!What are you talking about?Why am I with Estella?
'What the hell. Aren't you lending me your power because you're in love with her?
'You're so simple-minded, aren't you!Are you so pure of heart!I wonder if you're purely indulgent!
'Hey, ......, calm down.
'Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!Estella doesn't have the tits to poke me with, though!
'Duh!I told you to calm down!

I told you!You're the one!

Ricardo ruffled his hair, slightly annoyed, and let out a short breath.

'What, you're not? I thought you were. .................. What?I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one....... I knew it,...... like Medora?
I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.

All at once I felt calm.
I've lost all my excitement!

'I'm participating in this tournament for me. The reason I need to win is personal. So I'll be responsible for eliminating anyone who stands in my way.'
'That's fine. I'll avenge you.'

The eyes of a hunter on his prey.
You look like you're having fun.

If you're so distracted by me that you can't see Estella, then we have a chance.
In a game, if the general is safe, you can turn the tables even if the others are wiped out.
I'm not the general of District 42, Estella is.

I'm just a guest.

'Well, ......, I'm busy. It's time for you to go home.'
'Ah. There was no tea, but I wasn't expecting it, so I'll just leave you to complain.'
'Don't complain to me. Who would serve tea to you?
'I think it's necessary to treat customers with courtesy and have a relaxed mind like that, don't you?
'It's a fool's errand to be polite to those who are not polite. Is treating a beggar and a royalty the same as a great person?'
'No. He's just an idiot.'
'Then drink your tea in your house.

I was almost under the illusion that this guy was the best person to talk to in this town.
I guess it's just that we have similar black stomachs. ...... Hmm.

'By the way, Ricardo.'
'What is it?'
'You, what color are your nipples?'
'Go home!

A chair!
He threw that f*cking heavy chair at me!Unbelievable!
I can't believe it! I think it hit the door and made a cracking sound!
I mean, the arm strength to throw that chair from the corner of the room to the entrance, it's scary!

I don't want to spend another second in the danger zone where such ferocious people are hanging out.
I left Ricardo's house as quickly as I could.






'Oh, ...... this is how it's going to be ......'.

I opened my mouth and looked at the street.
The main street of the 41st district had been cleaned up like crazy.
The streets were paved, the stores were organized, and the exteriors were gleaming and glamorous.

Weapons stores, which used to look like ribbed houses in the wilderness, have all but disappeared, and the streets have become a bright, cheerful place where fashionable gals can go window shopping in a happy mood.

In the middle of such a main street.
In the middle of such a main street, a strange and incomprehensible object was standing in the wide open central square.
It was a statue shaped like a beech mushroom that was fainting in agony after having a large amount of Mentholatum smeared inside its nostrils.

'...... statue of the spirit god, huh? I'm not sure what to make of it.

And it's huge.
It was a majestic beech mushroom, over five meters long.
Hammaro and the others, what a waste of effort.

'Hmm?

I thought no one would appreciate such a huge, agonizing Bunashimeji. ......

There was a half-fishman kneeling in front of a giant Bunashimeji mushroom statue, earnestly praying.
It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... Did fish have eyelids?

'..................'

A large man with a fish face praying earnestly without any disturbance in the midst of quite a few people passing by. ...... Perhaps he is a devout follower of the Bunashimeji cult.



Oh, it's a spirit god, isn't it, this statue. You look at it for three seconds and you almost forget. You know how they say humans get 80% of their information from sight?It's a Bunashimeji mushroom no matter how you look at it.

'Hey, that'.
'Ah, ......'.

Passersby A and B behind me start sneaking around talking.

'Gustave's praying again.
'He's got to be the most religious guy in town.

I hear his name is Gustave.

'Is he famous, that big guy?
'Who are you?
'Passerby C.'
'...... Where's A and B?

You guys.
I don't care who you are, who is he?

'Gustave from the hunting guild. He's the biggest meal in town, and he'll be playing in the tournament.'
'He is?
'Oh, yeah. His daily routine consists of praying to the spirit gods like that and ...... devouring the food in the food court after work.''

...... It seems that Magda and the others were talking about that bastard.

'I guess the hunting guild will be the main representative of this city.
'There's no such thing as the center, they're all elected by the hunting guild.
'All of them?
'Yeah.'
'Oh, I see.'

Ricardo said it was a fight to win, but ...... all of them?

'Most likely, they're praying to the spirit gods to help them win the tournament.
'For a muscle-bound guy, you're pretty religious, aren't you?
'Idiot, you. It doesn't matter if you're male or female. It doesn't matter if you're male or female. Everyone respects the Spirit God the same way.

So you're saying that this scene of a muscular man praying with a serious expression to that funny statue of Bunashimeji is not a place to laugh?

'Doesn't anyone outside the hunting guild say anything?
'Well, that's what the ...... lords think.'

Passerby B's words sounded half-hearted.

'There's the hunting guild, and then there's us, the people. That's how this town is built.'
'Yes, yes. We just have to sit back and wait for the results.

...... give up...... enlightenment............ are both different.
To them, it's common sense. It's become the norm.

Everything that goes right and everything that goes wrong is because of other people, because of other people.

I guess you can't change your entrenched view of life overnight.

So what are you going to do if Ricardo loses ............?
I'm not sure what to do.
Do you want to accept all the misfortunes that come your way?

Ricardo.
It's a good idea to take a lesson from Estella, at least for a little while.

I'm sure the 41st district has been working with Ricardo and the hunting guild on a strategy to win. The players, and perhaps even the food, will be geared toward the hunting guild.
It may not be a bad choice if you see it as a decision made by a person who is obsessed with winning and needs to win. ......

It's a good bet.
I wouldn't bet on it, it's too risky.

'So, does that half-fish eat that much?

I casually inquire.
Come on, come on, just tell me as a passerby.

'They're not half-fish. It's the Piranians.'
'That's confusing!
'Don't tell me!


'Don't tell me!' According to a passerby, it's 'not even close to eating'.
...... Let's see what you got.

Let's follow Gustave and show him how to eat.
I'll follow Gustave and watch him eat. I'll watch his fervent prayers from a distance.
That's a long time. Greedy!I don't give money.You don't give money.

...... It's a long story. You can't be too pious.
While Gustave was praying, people were gathering everywhere, praying to the Bunashimeji statue.
............ Oh, was it a spirit god?Why don't we just call it Bunashimejiism?

The net result is that Gustave has been praying for thirty minutes.
I thought ...... was a more carefree God, wasn't it, Spirit God?
For me, it's the one that makes me repent every time I say the word 'boobs', so I don't appreciate it at all.

'Well, now that we've prayed, let's go eat lunch!
'Pfft!



Gustave of the Piranian race opens his mouth.
But his voice is so unexpectedly high-pitched that he almost blurts out.
That voice is so high-pitched!
Are you that character from Chiba Prefecture's Dreamland?

Fortunately, Gustave didn't seem to notice. ...... Be careful, if you're not careful, you might laugh. That gap is not fair.

It's past eleven ...... and you're going to work after eating.
You're taking a break at a strange time. Oh, I wonder. I wonder if they're rotating their breaks to avoid the lunchtime crowds.

Thinking like that, I followed Gustave with a light heart, but after ......, I came to regret it.

'Can I have a refill?
'I'm sorry!We're out of food .......'
'This store too? ...... It can't be helped. Please restock before the evening. I'll be back.
'Oh, you're coming back?
'Yes. See you later.

They devoured the entire food court and left the restaurant with a cool face.
...... To be honest, I lost my appetite just looking at them. Or rather, it was taken away from me.
Doesn't that guy have the ability to gather the appetites of the people around him into his own body?

I was a little convinced, but when he showed up at lunchtime, the whole town would be in chaos.
Even if we wanted to eat, we would run out of food.
That's why they let him eat lunch first.
If a restaurant runs out of food, it is forced to close, but if it is closed from the beginning, customers can choose another restaurant. Confusion is minimized.

The reason why Gustave is released before dinner time is that he is a barterer.
You may eat whatever you like at a time when no one else is around. In exchange, you may not loiter on the main street at lunchtime. ......

Anyway, there's a hell of a monster out there.
What is it?
Is it a curse that the more faith you have in the spirit gods, the more stupid your stomach gets?

This guy eats as much as or more than ...... Bertina.
At any rate, he can't see the limit.
Even Bertina has experienced this once in the past, the limit of the stomach. ...... I wonder if Gustave has it.

'The safest bet is to put the loser against him,......, but then you want to have room for one win,.......'

However, in District 41,......, there is another threatening person,......, no, monster, in the hunting guild.

'...... Medora. I wonder if I can suppress it by hitting Magda. ..................'

Gustave gobbled up the food court in one gulp.
And then there's Medora, whose everything is out of the ordinary.
Will we be able to compete with these two monsters? ............

'There's no point in thinking about it. It's about time. Let's go to ...... and inspect Medora's appetite.'

I need information.
d*mn, I'm starting to get strangely impatient here.
I was so relaxed yesterday. ...... I may have been a little too relaxed.

I rushed through the main street and headed for the city gate of the 41st district.
This is not the destination, but the headquarters of the hunting guild that stands right next to the city gate.

I hope I can get an appointment. ............

On either side of the huge gate, which reminded me of some prison, stood a large, muscular man who looked like he belonged in a prison that was impossible to escape.
Even the gatekeepers are scary. It's hard to believe that the hunting guild is a legitimate business.

'Who are you?
'What do you want?

As I approached the gate, the gatekeeper quickly closed in on me.
It's so oppressive ......!

'No, I need to see the guild leader. ......'
'You're not allowed.
'Go home.

It's so cold.
No, I guess that's to be expected. Even Magda said she'd never met him before she met him at the Sunken Pavilion.
Even Use, the head of the branch office, could only meet him once a year, and there was no way he would grant permission to an outsider without an appointment.

That must be how important he is.
Especially now, just before the defeat of Swarm.
No wonder security is tight.

...... can't be helped. I guess I'll give up for today.

I'm sorry, but can you just tell him that Obeyashiro is here to encourage us to take down Swarm?Maybe that'll help. ......'

Before he could finish, the gatekeeper straightened up and shoved him. Before he could finish saying 'should', the gatekeeper straightened his back and turned around with such force that it seemed to create a gust of wind.
Then, he shouted into the window of the headquarters with such a loud volume that it seemed like a whispered voice of a street car.

'Mom!The 'Obayashi' you told me about has come to see you!
'Just like you said, he's here to ask you out on a date before he defeats the Swarm!

Hey!


What's a date?
"Just like Mom said?
What the hell is about to happen?

Before I could say anything else, the headquarters building began to vibrate.
...... Medora is probably running down the hallway. ............ It's going to collapse, it's going to collapse!Don't run in the hallway!

'Daaaaalllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

A monster has appeared.
What do we do?
→ Run!
Run away.
Run away.
I give up.

But the enemy is coming around us!

'Oh, no!It's too late, darling!I've been waiting for you my whole life!

I was restrained by two log-like arms, swinging me around with impunity.
Don't ...... make your spine shatter ...... because it will turn into spine sprinkles!

I knew you'd be worried about me when I went on a dangerous hunt.That's the man I expected!I'm not sure what to make of it....... But that just makes me even happier!Oh, no!I'm not sure what to say, I'm embarrassed!

I'd like to ask you to refrain from killing people out of embarrassment. ...... I mean, it's time to seriously ...... die. ......... ...

''You guys!
''Ha!''
I'm going to go on a lunch date with my darling!It's a good thing she asked me out, because I'd be a fool to turn her down!Isn't that right?
''Haha!I'm out!
''Protect the headquarters while I'm away!
''Ha!At the cost of my life!
''If anyone tries anything crazy, I won't care about ............, don't let me turn you into sprinkles!
''Ha!I'll break it into pieces!
''Then, I'll go make love for a bit, nyan☆''
''Ha!See you later!

...... What is this place?It's a haunted house?

''Come on, darling. You must be hungry.There's a great restaurant that I go to. I've always wanted to go there with my darling. Would you like to follow me?
'Oh, ...... oh, I'll go. I'll come. ...... Let me go. ......'
'Oooooohhhhhhhh!Then, I'll go in a hurry!
'Hey!Release ......!

Boom! --and my eardrums gave up their work.
I can't hear anything, I can't feel anything.
The only thing I could think of was that the scenery was moving so fast that I could ...... only vaguely think, 'Oh, maybe we're going faster than the speed of sound.


I'm still too relaxed. ......


I'm sure you're not the only one who has turned off your crisis prevention abilities. ......