Konbini Ossan Volume 3 Chapter 9 — The Heroes Drop By
Thanks to the refrigerator, sales kept climbing.
We hired more staff, the shop stayed busy, and even people outside the adventurer crowd started talking about us.
Chilled alcohol wasn’t just for adventurers. Regular workers too longed for a cold drink after a hard day.
That craving alone turned the shop into a roaring success. Before long, we’d more than make back what we’d spent on the refrigerator.
Then one afternoon, during a lull after the lunch rush, we got some unexpected visitors.
“Whoa, no way! They’re seriously selling chilled booze here! This is just like a convenience store!”
The moment they spotted the fridge, one boy blurted that out. With him were two other boys and a girl.
“Hey, Toudou-kun. Don’t be so loud, you’ll bother the other customers,” the girl chided gently. The other two boys nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, but come on! Isn’t this exciting? I mean, in another world, of all places, finding something that feels like Japan — or modern life, or whatever — you know, it’s like… comforting?”
“That doesn’t mean you can shout about it, Youta,” one boy sighed.
“Exactly. If people think I’m the same as him, I’ll be mortified. I’ll be standing over here, thanks,” said the other.
“You bastard, Yuuki!” Youta barked back.
The boys laughed and bickered while the girl just smiled beside them.
I knew these four. Of course I did.
They were the students from Mutsugaya High who’d been summoned to this world.
And among them, the ones who’d received the most extraordinary skills, the so-called [Hero Titles].
The excitable boy was Toudou Youta, the [Sword Saint].
The girl who calmed him down was Mimori Saori, the [Saintess].
The level-headed one was Kanehama Keiichi, the [Hero].
And the sharp-tongued boy was Matsuriya Yuuki, the [Sage].
I had expected that eventually one of the heroes might wander into my shop out of curiosity.
But this was sooner than I thought, and all four of the central figures were here at once.
An unexpectedly good turn of fortune. I hadn’t prepared for this, but that was fine.
For today, I’d simply get acquainted. Deeper ties could wait until later.
“Welcome, brave heroes,” I greeted them directly.
“Huh? How’d you know we were heroes?” asked Kanehama.
“Wait a sec, I’ve seen this guy before. Isn’t he the old man who got kicked out of the royal palace?” said Toudou.
So they already knew who I was. That saved me the trouble of explaining.
“Indeed,” I said with a polite bow. “I was fortunate enough to be expelled. My name is Otsugi Yuuichi.”
“Fortunate, huh?” Matsuriya gave a dry little laugh.
“I envy you. If I could throw away this role — being used as a pawn in war — I’d welcome exile.”
“Hey, Yuuki, that’s harsh,” Kanehama interjected, frowning.
“Harsh? I’ve said it before. We’re nothing but tools for this kingdom,” Matsuriya replied coolly.
“And I’ve told you before too, haven’t I? They summoned us because people here are suffering. It’s helping others — how can you turn your back on that?”
“Hmph. If it really were about helping, I’d gladly accept it.”
“You’re too cautious, Yuuki,” Kanehama sighed.
The two of them started bickering right there in the shop. But to me, it was revealing.
Just as I had suspected: Kanehama intended to cooperate out of genuine goodwill.
Matsuriya, on the other hand, clearly saw through the manipulation and wanted nothing to do with being a tool of war.
That settled it. Of the four, the one I needed to focus on building a relationship with was Matsuriya Yuuki, the [Sage].
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E/N:
Righteousness taken to an extreme never pays well. *Arifureta* taught that well! I can't help but see such people as evil, and their followers as foolish.
As for Ossan, as the saying goes, birds of feather flock together. Stay tuned!
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