]     

Kujonin

Author: Hanabokuro

—

The carriage stopped in front of Garcisan's house.

I could see that there were two people riding within the carriage with the Search Skill.

The old man who was performing as the coachman, wearing black clothes with a sharp look in his eyes, opened the door.

The one who descended was a very refres.h.i.+ng-looking young man, wearing white clothes with gold embroidery here and there.

His eyebrows are thick, and his long, golden hair was tied up behind him, and his smile revealed his white teeth; he's kind of like the type that might appear in the something or other Hills Youth etc1.

We looked at that man from afar from the destroyed plantation.

While making a gesture like she was sighing, Velsa said,

"When my household was still the feudal ruler, that kind of type applied for marriage many times, and I've come to have a physiological aversion to them."

"He looks weak, huh?"

Is what Ayl said.

On the other hand, Merumo and Cynthia seems to have some interest in him.

"His head seems easy to split open, ne."

It looks like Merumo has a splatter-type of interest in him.

"He has the feel of someone from the city."

It looks like Cynthia is just longing for the city.

As for me, "Well, c.r.a.p…" is the kind of feeling I have.

"What is it?"

Seth, who was next to me and heard me mutter, asked.

"I was just thinking that if he's the kind of youth he looks like he is, making the roads will be full of difficulties."

"It will be difficult?"

"It will be difficult…"

Garcisan came out of his house and shook hands with the youth.

The personage within the carriage isn't moving, and the old coachman also isn't moving from its side.

So does that mean that youth is a gopher-type of person?

After exchanging a few words, Garcisan seemed to realize we were here and waved his hand.

It's a light morning greeting, I suppose.

By the way, I have "There isn't anything in particular to do when the official from the Central Government comes; only if they seem like they're going to force extremely cruel conditions on Garcisan will I contact Margaret-san,"written on my to-do list. After that, I have "If…" addends written, but what's written are things that I don't want to happen if possible.

For me, they're more like what-ifs for when an investigator from the Hill Lake Capital comes. At any rate, I have to get them to stop making the ca.n.a.l. While I was thinking about those things, for some reason the youth came walking over this way.

Just what does he want, I wonder.

"I heard the person called Naoki is present, but who might that be?"

With a smile that suited the morning perfectly, he asked that question. It's likely that Margaret-san told the Central Government about me, but frankly, I, who didn't sleep last night and is sleepy, can't keep up with his excitement.

I gently pushed Seth forward a little from behind.

"Eh? Wai…"

"So you're Naoki-san!?"

The youth asked Seth.

"I'm no.."

"The tolled carriage way is a brilliant idea! I have great respect for you! I didn't think that you would be so young! Let's make the Road Corps a success! No, it will definitely be a success! Wehn I first heard the method, I honestly thought that the person who thought it up must be a genius!"

So saying, he shook hands with Seth, waving it vigorously up and down.

This guy is no good. The thing that's no good is that he attaches a "!" to the ends of all his sentences.

And above all, not only does he not listen to what people are saying, it looks like he can't think of anything other than the picture of success.

On my to-do list, the addendum, "If the official from the Central Government turns out to be an unimaginable idiot or someone who blissfully believes everyone has a good disposition, then I might have to give him just a little bit of advice-! If a guy like that comes, it will be bd!" is written.

"No, like I said, I'm not Naoki-san!"

Seth said as he finally managed to separate his hand from the youth's.

"Eh? Then who is it?"

At the youth's words, everyone looks at me.

I make a meek face and,

"About Naoki. I'm the one who knows about him the best. Thank you for coming. Actually… just a bit ago, there was an unfortunate accident … in the wasteland…"

I obscured my words. It was just free-s.h.i.+tting in the wasteland, though.

that time after he fought the Earth Spirit.

"N,no way… hafu…fu…"

The youth's eyebrows made a "八" sign, his eyes became teary, and his lips trembled. At my forced acting.

"And so, there's not enough money…"

"How much do you need? If I have if, for now I'll give you my wallet, so you can manage for the funeral!"

I don't know why or how it got so inflated, but I'm completely dead according to that youth.

"Thanks. I will use this when I'm dead. Good grief. Someone beyond my expectations came."

Accepting the wallet, I revealed it all.

"Eh? Then… you're Naoki-san?"

"Yeah, that's right. Sorry, but about the person inside the carriage; can you tell him the person called Naoki has confiscated your wallet?"

I can't imagine all of the officials will be like this.

"No, um, my wallet…"

"I'll return your wallet after you tell him."

"Understood!"

So saying, he ran all the way to the carriage. He's a kind of pure (naive) youth.

When the youth had opened the carriage door and explained to the person within, I pocketed the insides of the youth's wallet, emptying it. Let's have him run errands for a while and return it a little at a time.

"Dahahaha! You've done well, it's enough."

Laughter came from inside the carriage.

An old man with a st.u.r.dy body came out from within. His leg seems to be bad and he has a cane.

It's no good to have such a person walk, and when I approached I could tell that the right side of the old man's face is strangely warped. It seems to be the scar of some old burn, and the skin is drawn up strangely.

"h.e.l.lo."

When I greeted him, he smiled as he pa.s.sed his cane over.

"I'll give you this cane, so will you return this youngster's wallet and the contents thereof?"

The cane is made of st.u.r.dy materials, and it's been used well.

Naturally, since the youth's superior has gone this far, it wouldn't be a joke anymore so I put the money in my pocket into the wallet and handed it to the old man.

"Lad, I've gotten it back. Take care of it. It's fine for you to go to the church in the village and play."

The old man said and tossed the wallet at the youth.

The youth received the wallet, asked Cynthia the location of the church, and ran off.

"It seems like that lad wants to become a missionary. I have this sort of face, so he's just being used as a spokesman. Please don't think poorly of him."

The old man said with a smile. Half of the muscles in his face won't move, so he half-smiled.

"Earth Hero, is there a place to sit and talk? Anywhere would be fine. Let's discuss the tollway."

"Aah, this way."

So saying, Garcisan guided us to the storehouse.

"Ah, the cane."

When I tried to return the cane to the old man,

"Aah, I don't need it."

So saying, the old man walked fine after Garcisan.

G.o.ddamit, what an insufferable gramps!

Just by pretending his leg was bad, he called me over and got me to return the youth's wallet.

Well, it's only natural, huh? It feels like he showed me the difference between a veteran government official and a company man.

"The proposer … Naoki, was it? Come quickly! Why don't the ladies behind you come as well? The discussion will probably go on for a while."

At Gramps' words, Ayl and the others and I looked at each other, then Velsa said,

"Naoki, take out the plans for the windmill and pump."

And held out her hand.

"Wh,why?"

"Because we will make it together with Garcisan and his wife. It's better to split up the division of labor, right? We've already planted the seed b.a.l.l.s too, so we have nothing to do."

"No, but didn't you pull an all-nighter? How about resting a little?"

"It's fine. Naoki, you're also awake."

But the windmill and pump are the tasks I wanted to do the most…

"Newbies, there's almost never a chance for us to steal the President's strong suit! So put some spirit into itand let's make this-!"

Ayl lit a fire under Seth and Merumo.

" "Oooo-kaaay!!""

"Why? Why are you guys so energetic? Dammit-"

I reluctantly took the designs for the windmill and pump out of the item bag and hand it to Velsa.

"I'll go call Mother!"

So saying, Cynthia went to the house to call Ashley-san.

As for me, I was taken to the storehouse by the sharp-eyed old coachman, saying, "Let us go," as he pushed my back.

]