Konbini Ossan Volume 1 Chapter 30 – The Cave Dwarf
“You know… now that you’re quitting adventuring, I think I’ll miss you a little, Otsugi-san.”
Shirley said this while casting her eyes downward.
“Since we’re being honest now… the truth is, I became a receptionist because I wanted to support admirable adventurers like you.
…
So, hearing that you’re leaving—it doesn’t make the job feel meaningless, exactly, but it’s like the wind’s been taken out of my sails.”
“I appreciate that you think so highly of me. But… am I really that good of an adventurer?”
“Of course you are!”
When I asked, she leaned forward with passionate conviction.
“You’re diligent, skilled, and polite. You have it all. There are barely any adventurers in the capital like you.
…
Maybe some high-rankers, but those people are exclusive assets—they never show their faces at our counter.
…
For me, you were the ideal adventurer, someone close by I could admire. Honestly… I look up to you, Otsugi-san!”
Being told someone admires me like that… well, I can’t deny it made me happy. I should probably express my gratitude.
“Thank you, Shirley-san. It really means a lot that you accepted someone like me without prejudice, even though I’m… well, kind of gross.”
“Gross!? Otsugi-san, no! If anything, you’re on the cute side!”
Cute?
(E/N: Huh???)
I tilted my head. I didn’t think I had the kind of face someone would call “cute.” Maybe all that healing magic warped my face somehow…
“Um, Shirley-san. This might sound strange, but would you mind describing my facial features?”
“Eh?”
She was caught off guard, but she still obliged.
“You’ve got bags under your eyes, sunken cheeks, kind of gaunt, messy hair… and you're always slouching.”
“Yeah… that’s definitely me.”
I still didn’t get the “cute” part.
“May I ask what part of me is supposedly ‘cute’?”
“Well… the whole thing, I guess? You remind me of a Cave Dwarf. I think that’s pretty adorable.”
“…Cave Dwarf?”
That’s a term I hadn’t encountered before. Not even in the internal database from my «Complete Record» skill.
“Could you tell me more about these Cave Dwarves?”
“Wait — you don’t know what a Cave Dwarf is!?”
She looked at me as though I’d asked what the sun was.
Apparently, they were a well-known concept.
Which made me wonder why, despite all the information I’ve collected, I’d never come across it. Very odd indeed.
“Cave Dwarves are mythical beings that show up in children’s fairy tales. They’re little folks who appear when people are in trouble and help them out.
…
They have magical powers, love humans, and are always watching over us.”
“Ah… a fantasy race, then. That explains it.”
Not exactly something I would’ve looked into — fairy tales aren’t very useful for survival.
“They’re in every children’s book, basically. They’re always portrayed as gentle neighbors.
…
So when people see someone who looks like a Cave Dwarf, they just instinctively feel safe around them.
…
Even the other receptionists say, ‘Otsugi-san is like a Cave Dwarf — he’s cute!’”
“I-I see…”
Apparently, my appearance is far more positively received in this world than I realized.
It opens up… possibilities. I won’t say what kind.
(E/N: Aw, hell naw! You certified freak Uncle!)
Still, if I resemble this beloved mythical race, I could use that to my advantage in customer-facing work.
Back on Earth, beautiful people dominated in hospitality. But here? It might be different.
Being "Cave Dwarf-like" could make people instantly warm up to me.
And for a while, I’ll be the only one running the shop. Making a good first impression just by existing is a huge bonus.
———
Later on, I came across a picture book featuring Cave Dwarves and read it out of curiosity.
The resemblance?
So uncanny I almost considered suing for likeness rights.
——————
E/N:
Lmao, it's as if God copy-pasted Ossan from Earth to isekai!
Still, Ossan, you freak, don't take advantage of innocent people!
——————
Comments
Post a Comment