Chapter 428: Certain Hit and Certain Kill
There’s a new street called the Kuzunoha Street.
Right now it can’t be used as reference, but for the past residents, it was the wide path that went in between the market and residential district in the old divisions of Tsige.
And there’s a store that has the same name as the street.
In terms of order, the street came after, and the store was the original name though… Well, it is honestly a pain, so I don’t really want to talk about the details much.
Today is the day the students of the Rotsgard Academy are coming to Tsige, so I am waiting for them in front of the Kuzunoha Company.
But they haven’t come yet.
The reason is clear. It is a rare instance where my prediction actually came true, and trouble happened, so they are late in their arrival.
Shiki, who was full of leisure from the very first thing in the morning, was visibly dejected, impatient, and he was hanging his head down. That sight of his was really pitiful… I placed a hand on my chest, glad from the bottom of my heart that I am not the one that was guiding them.
Sorry, Shiki.
Students that are all real close friends, forming a party, and coming to a far remote land for the first time without having to worry about the eyes of the academy…
Is there anyone who wouldn’t have their reins loose from this?
No, there’s none.
They are elites and a skilled bunch, but they are the type that, even if they are wearing uniforms and shouldering the name of the academy, wouldn’t pay it mind.
I bet that they would turn loose, and Shiki bet that they would be excellent students that would uphold control and order.
Just when I thought they had suddenly gone to the Adventurer Guild, they got in trouble with adventurers, and got entangled with Root and the others.
Well, Grount-san having come to Tsige was in part the plan of Rembrandt-san and lady Lisa who had gotten acquainted with her at the hotspring for some reason.
I was contacted by Lisa-san sooner than Shiki.
The plan was for them to go to the Rembrandt Company on the first day.
She told me Rembrandt-san apparently is way too excited, and isn’t in a state that he can properly appraise Jin and the others.
And so, she told me to please make the visit on the first day be only the Kuzunoha Company, and that she is sorry about that.
In my eyes, the common language writing isn’t that beautiful, but when people who are good at writing do it, for some reason, there’s some elegance to it.
Characters really are a mysterious thing.
“Oh, it is that carriage, huh.” (Makoto)
A few minutes after coming out from the store, the carriage comes into sight.
Man, thought transmission really is convenient.
The happy thing is that the front of the store is crowded with customers, so I guide the carriage in a way that it doesn’t bother them and have them stop.
I tip the coachman, and then face the students that have done it now.
“Sensei, we will be in your care for a while!” (Jin)
“Yeah, nice to see you have come. Welcome to Tsige.” (Makoto)
So it is Jin first, huh.
Amelia comes after.
The two must be surprised by how prosperous the Kuzunoha Company’s store is, or maybe they are still not used to the population density, they stood in front of me as if dumbstruck.
“Raidou-sensei, I am sorry. Because of our selfishness, the first day…” (Sif)
“We should have just obediently allowed ourselves to be taken to our home…” (Yuno)
The slightly dejected Rembrandt sisters follow.
“Looks like this was the exact development Lisa-san aimed for. Don’t worry about it too much, Sif, Yuno.” (Makoto)
““Eh?!””
They don’t stop their movements and get off from the carriage while being surprised.
And so, the remaining one…
“Even though we still haven’t blended in yet, from the very first day, we saw h.e.l.l -because of Daena.” (Misura)
“I admit that I messed up. However, you were most likely the target of that person from the very beginning -no, I mean, you seemed to be the one to take her teachings, you know.” (Daena)
“Then, is it okay for me to say it, sh*tty Daena?” (Misura)
“…Sorry, man.” (Daena)
“As if a sorry is going to cut it. Dinner is your treat—Uo?! How many floors is this?! The Kuzunoha Company is awesome!!” (Izumo)
The negative MVPs of today; the victim party.
Daena, Misura, and Izumo.
Even though they all don’t have a single wound, their faces are showing terrible exhaustion.
They must have been initiated in the nail bat ora ora of Grount-san and her sandpaper stream.
Because of Misura’s a.s.sociation, he would be facing demise no matter what he did if he were to come to Tsige, so rather than calling him a victim, it is technically just the natural course of events.
Izumo is the very definition of a victim.
He instantly switched his interest into the building, so I wouldn’t say he is seriously holding a grudge, but more of the usual mood.
“Waka-sama, I am truly sorry, having this happen on the very first day. We couldn’t even progress properly through the planned schedule…” (Shiki)
“Thanks for the hard work, Shiki. That’s why I told you. The name school trip has a strange devilish allure to it.” (Makoto)
“Even though the plan was to show the product line-up of the Rembrandt Company and to properly introduce them the standing of the companies, it just didn’t go as planned…” (Shiki)
“Well, about that, there should be no problems to just show them in priority order. However, I thought the ones going out of control would be: Daena, or Jin and Daena, or the dark horse Izumo, or Misura. It seems my prediction was mostly correct.” (Makoto)
“…The difference in level… So the trigger really was there?” (Shiki)
“Their experience in Lorel must have served as quite the confidence boost after all. I knew that they would get ahead of themselves and mess up if they were to know the levels of the people here.” (Makoto)
“Honestly speaking, it didn’t even cross my mind until it was explained to me in the guild. It should have served as caution, but to think it would turn into overconfidence. Moreover, it wasn’t in the academy, but also in the outside world.” (Shiki)
“If everyone had plentiful experience and intelligence like you, Shiki, it wouldn’t have ended up like this. As you can see, our students are all young.” (Makoto)
“But why were all the men the ones who were candidates for going out of control?” (Shiki)
Looks like Shiki is still bothered by this.
The students that are connected with us have journeyed out of the acclaimed Rotsgard Academy to Tsige in order to learn, so the reality is that the students are gathering a lot of attention.
For good or for bad.
There will be people who will approach them to squeeze them out for what they are worth, and there will also be people who will think elite rich boys and girls are easy prey.
The Dusk Street that was fatally ill-natured has already been eliminated, so even if there’s no need to worry about the bad part being that bad, the time they will be spending in Tsige might be even more dense of an experience than their life threatening time in Lorel.
I would like them to pa.s.s their time here with that in mind.
Shiki, who will most likely be by their side the most, will be anxious the whole time though.
“Because Amelia is in love with you, Shiki, so she would be acting as your a.s.sistant or something, right?” (Makoto)
“…”
“Also, for Sif and Yuno, this is them technically coming home, but they also have to act as the ladies of the Rembrandt Company, so with them wearing the uniforms of the academy, I think they would feel a lot more stiff than normal.” (Makoto)
After I finished saying that and looked at the sisters, they nodded deeply.
Especially Yuno who has come back with a boyfriend.
They will definitely be facing their parents.
Even if it won’t immediately turn into marriage, she would be somewhat nervous, and she doesn’t have the leeway to go wild in the city.
“I…see…” (Shiki)
“Yeah, that’s how it is. Let’s get to it now. First, about the city and the lodging…” (Makoto)
I look at the students.
Almost everyone seemed to be really interested in the interior of the company.
Hmm, I don’t think it would be a good move to have them deal great damage to their wallets from the first day…but…
The products of Tsige probably hit right in the alley of their wallets, so…
Haah…
“I will explain to you all, so…well…each of you, go check the store around and then come to the office room on the highest floor. Don’t forget this is still the first day, okay?” (Makoto)
““! Yes!!””
It is a response full of energy that doesn’t give me good vibes.
Shiki was powerlessly shaking his head to the sides.
“Then, Shiki, let’s have a meeting up there beforehand. About the Weitz Orphanage’s—” (Makoto)
“Weitz Orphanage?!! Sensei, we can go to the holy grounds?!” (Izumo)
“…Izumo… Yeah, we have already finished negotiations to use that place as your lodging. I didn’t mind having it be a high cla.s.s hotel, but I thought that since there’s the chance, I wanted you guys to experience as many unique things in this city as possible.” (Makoto)
“! h.e.l.l yeah!! I am pilgriming the holy grounds ahead of the craftsmen of the Academy Town!!” (Izumo)
Izumo charges into the company while cheering with his arms up.
Glad to see he is happy about it.
It really is impressive that he answered immediately despite me also pointing out a high cla.s.s hotel could have been an option.
“Then, let’s go.” (Makoto)
“Yes, Waka-sama… Are we using the stairs?” (Shiki)
“Yeah. I was thinking about leaving the elevator as a surprise for the time when the students are going to be leaving. They are way too surprised already though.” (Makoto)
“No, it seems like I also have to revise my evaluation of things. There might be a need to check the inside of their wallets and even the spendings on snacks when they come up… Haaah…” (Shiki)
Haha.
It probably will turn out that way.
While we were having that silly talk, I went back together with Shiki to the office.
Amelia seemed to be interested in the rare products more than sticking to Shiki this time around, it doesn’t seem like she was coming with us too.
Slipping past the customers while going up the stairs isn’t that bad.
As for what our meeting entailed… I don’t think we will be taking too much time adjusting the schedule and patching the various plans we had.
Of course, this is thanks to having it planned out beforehand. You could say it was worth spending plenty of time to prepare.
““……””
After a while of waiting, the students came one after the other.
Their complexions were among the worst in terms of what I imagined.
The last ones were the Rembrandt sisters with pleased expressions.
This is the cruel reality of their difference in a.s.sets.
And then, their purchases were revealed from the reports.
“…Rather than hitting the mark, it was a certain kill. To think they would receive enough damage for a fatality.” (Makoto)
“I will have them decide on a spending limit by tonight.” (Shiki)
‘Not enough, not enough’.
‘I can buy it. If I just borrow some money, I can buy it’.
The office was filled with those sad cries that would be perfect targets for merchants.