Konbini Ossan Volume 4 Chapter 18 — Two Disciples and One Master
While we were talking about the Newhalf Magic, I realized that we were already nearing our destination.
“We’ll be arriving at my master’s room soon.”
At Matsuriya’s words, I looked around again.
The scenery was familiar — no doubt, I had been here before.
Matsuriya’s master — an eccentric willing to help with the development of the Newhalf and feminization magic.
If he was capable of such research, he was probably a court magician.
Considering our current location, I already had a good idea who that master was.
“We’re here. This is the place.”
He stopped in front of a door.
No mistake — this was the laboratory of Shuriva, the court magician. Shuri-kun.
“Master, it’s me! Matsuriya!”
Matsuriya called toward the door, which opened on its own. As expected, Shuri-kun was inside, facing away from us and focused intently on some experiment.
“What’s up?”
“I brought Otsugi-san with me.”
“Huh, really?”
Hearing that, Shuri-kun finally turned around.
“Otsugin! Welcome! Glad you came!”
“Yes. Matsuriya-kun invited me. So you’ve taken him on as a disciple too, Shuri-kun?”
“Yup. He seemed motivated — and, well, it was convenient for me too, you know?”
I wasn’t sure what sort of “convenience” she meant, but it seemed she hadn’t taken Matsuriya as a student purely out of kindness.
“So, what brings you two here? If I recall, you were just ennobled today, right, Otsugin?”
“Yes. It’s related to that, in a way. I’ll let Matsuriya-kun explain the details.”
I turned to him and gave a slight nod. He nodded back and began to speak.
He explained the situation — that factions were forming among the summoned heroes, and that the Kanahama group, being at a disadvantage, was seeking allies.
To that end, he wished to strengthen ties with me and work at my factory in a security-like role. Lastly, he asked for Shuri-kun’s cooperation as well.
Once he finished, Shuri-kun nodded lightly.
“Okay, sure. If factions are already forming among heroes, that can’t really be helped.
…
Refusing here would just upset the balance and make things harder for the kingdom. Since Otsugin’s now officially a baron, there’s no issue.”
Though her tone carried a hint of meaning I couldn’t quite read, she agreed without hesitation. Matsuriya let out a quiet sigh of relief.
“Thank you, Master.”
“Hey, hey, don’t get the wrong idea — I’m not doing it for you, Mattsun.”
With that, Shuri-kun stepped toward me instead.
“More than that, what I want to know is — what’s Otsugin really planning?”
“Oh? What do you mean by that?”
Her gaze sharpened, eyes narrowing slightly. I met it without flinching.
“A magic-tool factory that applies skill imbuement? A facility producing massive quantities of energy from luminous magic stones?
…
What exactly are you aiming for by creating something like that?”
As she spoke, Shuri-kun leaned closer, brushing against me with a teasingly intimate gesture, wrapping her arms around me almost suggestively.
The sudden proximity made me tense, but I kept my composure.
“I only seek profit. As I’ve said before — peace requires power.”
“Sure. But after that? You’re amassing enough power to sway the course of a nation. What do you intend to do once you have it?”
She touched my cheek and turned my face toward hers, forcing eye contact.
“Depending on your answer, the kingdom might have to keep an eye on you. If you could become an enemy, we can’t treat you like an ally. You understand that, right?”
“Of course.”
“Then tell me — what’s your true intention?”
Shuri-kun pressed the question again, trying to draw out my motives. But I couldn’t tell her. She was only an ally, not a companion bound by shared fate like Arisa-san.
I couldn’t speak carelessly. There was no way I could admit that, depending on circumstances, I might even abandon this country and side with another nation — or the Demon King.
That’s exactly why I sought even greater, undeniable strength. But since I couldn’t explain that, there was nothing I could say.
“Nothing in particular.”
So I played dumb.
“A skilled craftsman, a merchant, an adventurer who brings in high profits — such people don’t harm a nation, do they?”
“Hmm…”
Shuri-kun frowned, unsatisfied, then stepped back.
“Well, I’ll let it slide. If you’d spilled everything so easily, that’d be a fail anyway. So, yeah — I’ll take that as a pass.”
So she didn’t intend to push further. For now, it seemed this issue was settled.
“Since it’s a good chance, I’ll tell you something, Otsugin. It’s true I’m a court magician now, but I used to work in another country before this.
…
And before that, somewhere else again. You could trace that line back quite a ways.”
Her tone turned casual as she continued.
“What matters to me is how favorable the conditions are. I stay where the terms are best for me.
…
Right now, this kingdom gives me the best deal — that’s the only reason I’m playing the part of a court magician. Got it?”
“I see. Understood.”
In other words, Shuri-kun wasn’t originally from this country. She was a drifter, unaffiliated and loyal only to opportunity.
“Put simply, I work for whoever offers me the best conditions. I want you to keep that in mind, Otsugin — and think about it carefully, okay?”
She smiled, mischievous yet knowing — a smile that carried an unspoken message.
Reading between the lines, it was clear what she meant: if someday I gained enough power to offer her better terms than the kingdom, she wanted me to recruit her.
“I understand. I’ll visit again one day.”
I replied in kind — indirect, but with the same implication. That when the time came, I would.
Shuri-kun nodded in satisfaction.
“Good. I’ll be waiting, Otsugin.”
Judging by her expression, I hadn’t made the wrong call. She had tested me so suddenly that I’d been caught off guard, but I managed to handle it somehow.
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E/N:
Very opportunistic and sharp, Shuri-kun! But Ossan is also a beast, both metaphorically, literally and mentally! On the bed too! 😏 Stay tuned!
(3/3 chapter)
I'll be uploading further chapters in the weekend so look forward to it!
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Check out my other translation -
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why shuri mentioned as she/her in this chapter? isn't shuri suppose to be a femboy like Matsuriya?
ReplyDeleteAllow me to explain, Sire. Ossan can't bang a man unless they were a cute-looking woman/girl. Since it's the author using the she/her pronoun in their writing, i can only assume it is to quell the above condition. Also, the POV is of Ossan, so...
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