Konbini Ossan Volume 4 Chapter 12 — Encounter with the Heroes
The ennoblement ceremony ended without incident. It was an extremely simple affair, no trouble at all, and aside from Marceline and me, no one else was present.
After the brief ceremony with just the two of us, I wandered through the royal palace once again.
It had been a while since I last visited the palace, so Marceline suggested I take a look around.
She also mentioned I should go say hello to Shuri-kun.
So now, I’m strolling through the palace halls, heading toward the research lab where Shuri-kun is.
If I can happen to meet one of the heroes along the way, all the better.
I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve already run into one before, but maybe it’s just my imagination.
Perhaps that speed-obsessed stalker is still watching me from somewhere even now. Still, let’s assume that’s just my imagination.
So, in search of a meeting with a hero who isn’t one of those stalker types, I continue walking.
The sun was starting to set, and I figured any heroes who had gone out during the day might be back by now.
Just as I was counting on such a coincidence, I happened to spot some familiar faces.
“Oh, Otsugi-san?”
Among the three walking toward me, one of them called out. It was a face I knew well.
Among the heroes, she bore the title of “Saint”; a regular customer at my magic tool shop and a big fan of our portable food, “Sweet Dew Mochi.” [Saint] Saori Mimori.
Mimori trotted over toward me with an adorable motion. Even the way she ran looked elegant. So this is what they call feminine charm.
“What brings you here, Otsugi-san? It’s rare to see you in the palace.”
“Well, I had some business to attend to. Now that it’s done, I thought I’d drop by and see a few familiar faces, so I’ve just been wandering around.”
“Oh, I see. Then, are you in a hurry right now?”
“No, not particularly. I don’t have anything planned.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I was worried I might be stopping you if you were busy, but looks like it’s fine.”
“Quite the opposite. If I can meet you like this, I’d actually like to have a chat for a bit.”
As our conversation warmed up, the two young men who had been with Mimori caught up and joined us.
“It’s been a while, Otsugi-san.”
“Yo, old man! Been a while!”
The polite one was Keiichi Kanehama, the [Hero]. The lively one was Yota Toudou, the [Sword Saint].
It really had been some time since I’d last seen them. Probably not since the day all four heroes came together to my shop.
Well, to begin with, the only heroes I regularly see in the shop are Mimori, the [Saint], and Matsuriya, the [Sage], from Matsugaya High.
Lately, even Matsuriya hasn’t shown up, probably because he’s been busy.
That’s one of the reasons I wanted to expand my network of contacts in the palace — to get a better read on what’s going on.
This was a good opportunity. With three of the heroes gathered here, I might be able to get introductions to the others.
“It’s been a while. How have things been? No major changes, I hope?”
“Yes. Well, recently we’ve been sent to the front lines more often, but there hasn’t been any real danger, so nothing drastic.”
I nodded at Kanehama’s reply. The frequency with which heroes are sent to the front lines reflects how much the war is intensifying.
Which means wartime demand for weapons and armor is bound to rise.
That’s useful information. I decided to see what else I could learn.
“By the way, where are you all headed now?”
“Dinner. Everyone who’s still in the palace’s getting together for a meal. We decided to keep that going, you know, to maintain the class’s unity or whatever.”
This time it was Toudou who answered, with an explanation too.
And it was a wise decision. Without maintaining group unity, individuals would be easy prey for the monsters who are handling politics, swirling around the palace.
{E/N: Instead of "monsters", the author has used "chimi-mōryō" or "魑魅魍魎" (link provided to wikipedia for extra information) in raws, a term used for monsters of mountain and rivers that take advantage of travellers or passerby to bring harm and misfortune.
…
So basically, Ossan refers to the ministers/politicians working under the king, those who are capable of taking advantage of the summoned Heroes.}
That would only raise the risk of getting caught in something troublesome.
Which means the heroes themselves have begun to feel some distrust toward the palace authorities.
“Has there been any suspicious movement in the palace lately?”
At that, I asked the most important question. But the answer I got wasn’t quite what I expected.
“Ah, well, there’s a bit of that, sure. But the main issue seems to be on our side— among the heroes themselves.”
“Oh? That’s news to me.”
When I showed interest, Kanehama smiled gently and said,
“How about it, Otsugi-san? Since we’re talking about it, would you join us for dinner?”
Given the flow of the conversation, that invitation clearly wasn’t just for the sake of a shared meal.
“Gladly. I’d be honored to join you.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Then, let’s go.”
And so, I found myself sharing dinner with the heroes.
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E/N:
Internal trouble among heroes? As if the stalker problem wasn't enough! Stay tuned!
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Check out my other translation -
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