Konbini Ossan Volume 1 Chapter 14 – The Summons, Then Banishment
Once the Status checks and records were completed, the heroes were dismissed.
It seemed that rooms had been assigned to them, and one by one, they left the audience chamber to return to their quarters.
I alone, however, was told(ordered) to remain behind in the hall.
“Now then, Otsugi-kun. I’ve heard the general circumstances from Knight Captain Marceline.
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You were caught up in the secret rite of dimensional travel and, though uninvited, ended up in the goddess’s domain.
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As punishment, the goddess bestowed upon you an unnecessary skill and cast you into this world. Is that correct?”
The king's words twisted the facts maliciously. It was hard not to feel offended. I couldn’t just nod and go along with it.
“It’s true that I reached the place where the goddess resides. However, the skill I received was not given as a punishment.
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It was granted formally by the goddess as a means to survive in this world
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While it may be useless to someone like a hero, for a person like me — who has nothing — it is necessary.”
I managed to push back on the king's skewed interpretation, and his expression immediately soured.
As expected, I really don't want to refer to him as a “king.” Geezer is just fine. A rather nasty geezer, at that.
“Then let’s do this. You were given a skill that is of no use to the heroes. That makes you a person of no use to the heroes either.
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Therefore, I hereby exile you from the royal palace and forbid any contact with the heroes from this point forward. Is that acceptable?”
Honestly, I didn’t mind.
But accepting that too easily would seem unnatural. Besides, I’d like to gather a bit more intel — especially the kind only accessible from inside the palace. So, let’s push back just a little.
“That would be troubling. I know nothing of this world yet. To be thrown out into the wilderness like this, I have no guarantee I could even survive.”
“But didn’t the goddess give you that skill so you could survive? There should be no problem then, yes?”
A fair point.
In defending the nature of my skill, I’d unintentionally handed him ammunition to justify exiling me.
Still, I had one more card to play.
“If you insist on placing the goddess’s will above all, then should you not also consider the fact that I was transported here to this palace — the same destination as the other heroes?
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If that is an act of mercy from the goddess, then casting me out gleefully may well be interpreted as blasphemy. Wouldn’t you agree?”
It was a gamble — more than half a bluff. I didn’t yet know how seriously this world takes the goddess, or how much influence her faith and temples have over the kingdom.
But the elderly gentleman visibly hesitated. He called over several close advisors and whispered among them.
After several minutes of murmuring, a decision was made.
“Very well. I understand your point. However, your skill remains irrelevant — perhaps even a potential threat — to the true heroes. Therefore, exile remains your sentence.
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However, it shall be carried out one week from today. Until then, you will be granted limited permission to remain in the palace.
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Knight Captain Marceline shall act as your supervisor. Use this time as you see fit — prepare yourself, secure housing in the city, do whatever you must.”
Perfect. It’s more or less what I was hoping for.
A full week is a bit short, but I’ll manage. I’ll just have to sacrifice sleep and gather as much intel as I can while I still have access to the palace.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
I bowed deeply, with all the exaggerated formality I could muster, expressing my heartfelt gratitude to the geezer.
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E/N:
Nice diplomacy, Ossan! The geezer and his ministers are foolish for allowing him to stay and gain knowledge in the palace.
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