11-Episode 9 emblem

When I returned to the dining room with a cart full of vegetables from the mormat, I carried them to the pantry and witnessed something ...... impossible.

'You're lying,.......'

The food pantry was packed so tightly with garbage vegetables that there were no gaps.

...... How much have you bought?

'Can you use it all up?'

'Um, ...... no, ...... we've got some donations, and ............ that ......'

'Are you using it up?'

'............Sorry, last time there was a lot left over and I had to compost it.'

Huh. ..................

'Let me squeeze your tits as punishment.

I can't say ......, but that's about as good as I feel.

'But it's been put to good use,......, and its ............ never wasted... ...'

'Excessive composting can ruin crops, and scattering rotten vegetables around the field doesn't make them fertilizer.

'......, right?

I'm sure this guy has always been like this.

You'll be able to use as much as you can of the foodstuff you've purchased in large quantities without being able to say no, but you'll still have a lot left over, and you'll feel guilty and try to put it to good use, but you won't be able to think of a way to do it.

Still, he cannot say no and buys a lot of food again.

'I'll adjust my purchases next time, but ...... I'd like to use up this amount somehow.

'How about cooking more food?

'If you do that, it will be difficult to reduce the quantity next time. It's a negative image to be perceived as 'less' for the same price.

It is fatal if customers come expecting an increased quantity.

Service is not something that can be offered indiscriminately. Otherwise, you will not be able to do business.

The only way to deal with the large amount of inventory is to increase the number of ...... customers.

'At any rate, I'll let you observe our business as usual for the day. If there's anything wrong, we'll correct it as needed.

'Yes, sir!I look forward to working with you!

Well, if I can't handle it, I'll dry it to a crisp and make sprinkles out of it. I don't know if I can do that at .......

But there's something I want to make before furikake.

This is urgent.

'Do you have any carpentry tools?

'Yes. There should be some in the shed that belonged to your grandfather.'

'Also, do you have any spare wood?

'Firewood, if you have any.'

Firewood. ......

Well, we can make do.

'Then let's repair the chair and desk.

'That would be a great help!

Ginette's expression brightened.

'I'm not very good at carpentry. ...... I used to repair broken chairs, but somehow they always ended up rattling. ......'

It was your fault, that rickety chair!

Why can't you just cut them to the right length and nail them together? ......

'You go get ready to open the store. I'll take care of the chairs.'

'Yes, sir. Then I'll get the tools.'

The tools Ginette had brought were surprisingly well-stocked. There was even a gold file. Well, they don't seem to have paper files, as expected. There is a soft file with a rough texture, perhaps from the skin of a beast. This seems to be useful.

At the back of the store, further behind the toilets, there was a firewood storage area.

'...... is huge!

When I heard the word 'firewood', I imagined a piece of wood cut into 30cm pieces. ......

But what I found was a log that was about three meters long.

Apparently, it was necessary to cut it to the appropriate length, split it with an axe, and then dry it.

However, Ginnette, who is not very strong, has not been able to do this work and has not been able to make a stock. ...... I guess chopping firewood is my job, too.

But with these long logs, I can repair chairs and desks.

It seems to have been abandoned for a long time, and it has been dried to a certain degree. The wood is not likely to warp after repairing.

'Then, I'm counting on you.

Ginette bowed and walked back to the store.

It would have been easier to start the work here, where the wood is placed, but ...... we will work in front of the store so that we can see when customers come.

I want to know how many customers are coming in and who they are.

I also want to prevent people from eating away.

So, I started to repair the rickety chair in front of the store.

I adjusted the length of the legs, leveled the seat, and used rough leather to file the backrest, legs, and other parts that might touch the skin.

This should improve the feel of the seat and make it a bit more comfortable.

While I was immersed in this work, the sun had passed its peak and was beginning to dip.

...... There are no visitors.

It was around nine o'clock when I got back from church, and the store opened at ten. This is the time I checked with my watch. ...... This world also seems to rotate 24 hours a day.

It is now 16:00 at ....... During that time, not a single customer has arrived.

This is a serious matter.

I wonder what kind of people come to this store?

I suppose it's probably only the occasional acquaintance of Jeannette's who shows up.

I don't think they advertise, and they are not well known enough.

If you come to the front of the restaurant, there is a possibility that people will come in because of the good smell, but ...... who would come to such a remote place?

No one has even passed by this diner. There are hopelessly few people passing by.

...... The location is the worst.

There were so few people coming that I had to make one more thing besides a chair and a desk.

The emblem of the lord that was stamped on the permit that Estella gave me. I copied the pattern of the two-headed eagle and the snake, inverted it, and carved it into a piece of wood I had left over. I even had a minnow and a carving knife in my toolbox, so I made use of them.

That's why ......

'Ginette, do you have any paper I can use?'

'Yes, I do.

I stamped on the poor quality paper Ginette had given me, using ink I had bought at a clothing store.

'Yes. It looks exactly the same in size and appearance.

I mean, the clothing store sold me the ink, so it should be okay for the guild to sell me the ink.

I don't think a merchant who has a store on the main street would violate the guild's rules.

Used items can be sold as used items at ....... If you take advantage of that, you might be able to sell something in the dining hall. Without going through the peddlers guild, of course.

'Um, Yashiro-san. Is this ......?'

Ginette asks me, looking at the stamp on the paper.

'It's well done, isn't it?

I'm confident in my dexterity.

I'm confident in my dexterity, based on the skills I learned from my master and my practical experience. ...... No, you see, "grasshopper" or "pirated" is a pretty rags-to-riches business, right?By the way, I am also very good at sewing. I'm confident that I can make a bag or fur ...... that looks exactly like it.

'It's a felony to misuse the ...... emblem of the lord. ......'

'I don't misuse my lord's emblem.

'Then that's fine. ......'

They're looking at you with a lot of suspicion.

I think they're starting to figure out who I really am. There is no ............. I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that. I suspect that she doesn't even know the word "intuit".

And so the emblazoned paper is put in the breast pocket,............, and the breast pocket is not.

'Ginette, do you have any cloth, needle and thread?

'Yes, I do.

I mean, there is stuff here, isn't there?

In my spare time, I put a breast pocket on my clothes.

A breast pocket is a very important and useful thing.

It can hold a pen and a piece of paper. You can put a handkerchief in it and look elegant.

So I keep the paper with the emblem in the breast pocket so that the emblem is well visible.

I have no time for .......

As the sky turns red, the first customer finally arrives.

She was a friendly old lady who smiled when she saw Jeannette. When Jeannette saw the old lady, she jumped out of the counter to hug her, so she must have known her.

The old lady did not seem to have any money to spare, and left after drinking a cup of 1Rb tea.

She seemed to have come to support Jeannette and to make small talk.

...... It's not profitable.

The next visitor was a long, thin man with a scraggly beard. He looked to be about two meters tall. I'm not sure if it's the same weight as me or if it's even lighter than me, but it's so skinny.

This guy at ...... is suspicious. Very suspicious.

He came into the store with a smirk on his face, and when he saw me sitting behind the counter, his expression tensed up for a moment. He may have been surprised that there was a customer in the usually empty dining room. ...... No, that was a 'not good' look.

As I turned away disinterestedly, the tall man regained his composure and sat down on a seat near the entrance.

Seeing this, Jeannette hurriedly approached him.

'Welcome, sir. Welcome to the Sunlit Pavilion.

'Did you fix the chair?

'Yes. Palm............, no. I fixed it.'

I've told Jeannette not to tell anyone that I fixed the chair.

For the rest of the day, I'll be in the cafeteria under the assumption that I'm not a part of the restaurant.

The reason for this is ...... well, you can tell by this tall guy.

'Are you ready to order?

'Well, I'll have the stir-fried scraggly vegetables.

'Yes, sir. One moment, please.'

Ginette bows and disappears into the kitchen.

The tall man, who had been following her with his eyes, looked at me again.

I pretend not to notice and ignore him.

As soon as the food arrived, the tall man began to eat his meal while paying attention to me.

The tall man glanced at me. In Japan, his behavior was so suspicious that he could have been reported at this point.

Well then, I guess it's time.

I leave my seat just as the tall man's plate is almost empty.

I just say 'See you later' to Jeannette and walk out of the restaurant. The look of joy on the tall man's face at that moment was ...... definitely enough.

The tall man is planning to eat his way out.

He waits outside for more than ten minutes.

The diner is quiet. ...... Ginette's retreated back into the kitchen. There's no sign of anyone.

Well, I guess the tall guy is waiting for him.

Sure enough, after a moment of silence, the door to the cafeteria opened quietly.

It was the tall man who came out.

'Oh, how can I help you?

'Huh?

He must have been startled by my presence, because as soon as he stepped outside, the tall man screamed.

'Have you paid your bill yet?

I asked with a smile. The tall man's forehead was sweating and his gaze wandered.

'I see that the owner has gone into the back and hasn't come out yet.

I questioned him further. The stocky man raises his eyebrows and threatens me with a stern expression.

'Oh, it's none of your business.

He's tall, but he's not scary because he's so frail.

Well, it can be troublesome if it gets out of control.

'Does it matter? ......'

I say, gently pressing my breast pocket.

The stocky man's gaze goes to it, and then he opens his eyes.

In my breast pocket, a piece of paper with the emblem stamped on it was peeking out.

'Actually, I'm related, aren't I?

I change my tone, implying that I'm in a superior position.

The sweat on the tall man's forehead was beginning to trickle down like a waterfall.

'No, no. Yes, yes!Toilet!I was just going to the bathroom.

'Well, I'll show you.

'No, I don't mind, I'm just going to the bathroom!I'm not a kid!

'You know I'm not doing this for you, right?

I say with a smile on my face. And then, as expected of a tall man, his shoulders slumped in resignation.

He must have realized that he couldn't get away with it. Good for you for being so honest.

Well, most likely. The more he tried to talk his way out of it, the more he'd be choking himself.

Since you've admitted it at this stage, I'll let you off with the payment.

He returned to the cafeteria with the hunchback who had given up.

He sits at the far end of the cafeteria, facing the wall, and I sit next to him.

When your view is blocked and your personal space is invaded, you become vulnerable. It would be even more difficult for a man like the current hunchback, who has just been exposed.

This is a trick often used by crooks. Be careful if you are made to sit facing the wall at the far end of the room.

In addition, it has become a theory that an "authority figure" other than the introducer will appear. When the introducer or acquaintance begins to listen to the self-proclaimed bigwig with a sympathetic 'yes, yes, yes', the sucker will be under the illusion that 'this bigwig must be right', and will easily fall into the trap, along with the blocking of vision and the invasion of personal space.

In this way, using "pressure" or "authority" to make a sucker "shrink" is a common method of deception, and has a certain success rate no matter how much the times change.

I guess you could call it an application of that.

The reason why I did not sit directly in front of you was to prevent your eyes from drifting to the side.

The tall man must have felt under siege.

'You'll pay for what you eat, won't you?

'Yes, sir. That's ...... of course, but right now, its ......'.

'You don't have any money, do you?

'Well, well, ...... in layman's terms, ...... hehe.'

He confessed that he had planned to eat and run from the start.

I pulled out a piece of paper with the emblem in my breast pocket and placed it in front of the hunchback.

Now there's one more place for the hunchback's gaze to escape. If he turned his head, he would see the emblem. That must be quite a fright.

'Well, I'll pay you later, but please write me a note.

'Yes, a note to ......?

'Your name and address, and 'I'll pay for the food and drink at the Sunlit Pavilion'.

'No, you don't have to write that. ......'

'I want a guarantee so that when I go to your house or office to pick it up, I can claim it even if you're not home.

'Yes, I'll ............ come to your house or office, or is it ......?'

'If you pay me properly, I'll save you the trouble.

'Yes, I'll go home and bring it now!So only ...... work at .......'

'To make sure I believe you, write me a note. Otherwise, I can't let you leave.

'.............................. Yes, sir.'

The stocky man seemed to have given it a lot of thought, but in the end he agreed and wrote exactly what I said on the paper.

'You know what will happen if the name or address is false ......, right?'

'Wow, I know!...... Don't worry, I didn't write anything false.'

Apparently, the hunchback's name is Goozuya. Strange name.

'Well, then, I'll go get it!Then you can get rid of that paper!

'As long as you pay me.

'I promise!

With that, Goozuya ran out of the cafeteria.

As if to replace her, Ginette emerged from the kitchen.

'Mr. Yashiro. Who's the customer now?

'He forgot his money, so he's going home to get it.

'I see. ...... You're a bit of a dilettante, aren't you?

You're the ditzy one.

You're the one who almost got eaten alive.

'Jeannette. What are you always doing in the kitchen?

'Preparing scraggly vegetables.'

'All the time?'

'Ehehe...... a lot of them are very hard to get into an edible state. ......'

It's useless.

It's really a waste of effort.

'From now on, you should use regular vegetables and try not to go back to the kitchen.

'That's right. It's easy to prepare ordinary vegetables. You can talk to your customers happily.'

You're missing the point. ...... Well, that's okay.

You won't get away with it if you talk.

'So, Jeannette. I've only had two customers today.

'Mum, the old lady comes to drink tea every day. I'm very grateful.

'Didn't you say that five people come every day?

'Yes, that depends on the ...... day.'

This guy ......

There are days when we get no visitors, huh?

'I'm sure there will be at least one more visitor today.

I'll deny it.

Just as I was about to deny it, the door of the cafeteria opened and a visitor showed his face.

'Hello, gentlemen!I've come to treat you to a meal!

It was Estella.

'It's you, .......'

'You don't have to be so blatantly disgusting, you're so rude!

Estella shuffled her feet and sat down across from me.

Why across from me?There are plenty of other seats available.

'You promised to treat me to lunch, right?That's why I came to eat.'

'That's too bad. It's night now.

'I was working on an application you asked me to do, and I missed lunch.

'That's unfortunate. But it doesn't change the fact that the meal we're about to have is dinner.

'Hey you!Are you trying to take money from me after all that hard work?

'I haven't seen how hard you've worked.

Estella wrinkles her brow.

But you know, Estella. Don't look for praise for your efforts.

Effort is something you should do for yourself, not something you should seek compensation for.

The only time you can ask for compensation is when you get results.

Effort is something that should be taken for granted.

Otherwise, the countless people who have failed in their dreams to become singers, idols, baseball players, etc. would not be rewarded.

'Estella. If you become proud of your efforts, you're finished.

'I've been getting results. My application was approved. The Garbage Collection Guild can be active from today.'

'Great!I'll give you a pat on the back.

'Well, have a nice meal at .......'

'That's not the same thing as this.

'Why the hell not!

The contract is 'I'll treat you to lunch'.

If I treat you to dinner, that would be a breach of contract.

'Um, Yashiro-san. It's fine, you can have dinner with me at least. ......'

'Besides, if you don't pay, Jeannette will become a liar.'

'What?'

Ginette shouted in surprise, and Estella stared at Ginette's face.

Ginette had just told her.

'I'm sure there will be at least one more person here today,' he said.

But it's almost closing time. It is highly unlikely that another customer will come.

'I think I'll invoke the Judgment of the Spirits~'

'Hey, you!It's not fair to threaten me like that!

'Oh, that ...... Yashiro-san, I'm that .......'

Well, I don't mean that seriously. ......

I glanced at Estella and she glared at me with a huge frown.

'All right, all right. I'll pay for dinner. But in the future, don't be reluctant to do so because of a slight time difference!'It's mid-morning, so it's still breakfast' or 'It's three o'clock, so it's a snack'!

Oh, that's Estella. You anticipated what I was going to do.

Well, it's not that I don't appreciate his work. All right. I'll let you off this time.

'Jeannette. What's the one thing you got left over from today?Something that won't hold up tomorrow.'

'That would be ...... river fish.'

'Estella. The stewed river fish here is very good, I recommend it.

'......, you have a really good personality.'

Estella looks at me with disgusted eyes and lets out a sigh.

'Well, I'll have some stewed river fish and black bread.

'Very well, sir!Please wait a moment!

Ginette runs to the kitchen with a bouncy step.

As she entered the kitchen, Ginette turned and bowed to Estella.

'It's my fault, I'm sorry.

'What?

For a moment, Estella rolls her eyes, apparently unsure of what she is talking about. However, she immediately understood what Jeannette was trying to say and responded with a wave of her hand.

'What happened earlier was not your fault, Ginette. It's the fault of this man's corrupt nature.

'What, Estella. Don't you know?Everything tastes best when it's rotten.'

'What are you talking about?It's too late for you because you're completely rotten.

This woman ...... says this and that.

Ginette giggles as she watches us interact.

'I'll be ready in a minute.

With that, she went into the kitchen.

'I'm disappointed in you. I'm disappointed in you.

Once we were alone, Estella leaned her elbows on the desk and looked up at me with a fierce glare.

'I was expecting a big compliment,' she said.

'Do you want me to pat you on the head?

'What?

Estella held her head and raised her body from its prostrate position.

She turns her body to get away from me and bared her fangs with a faintly tinted face.

'Don't treat me like a child!

'Then why don't I pat your ass?

'...... What do you think you're treating me like?

'I'm treating you like a woman.

'You'll be judged one day, I promise.

You idiot. It's not a lie to touch my ass. Then the Spirit God can't judge you!

You can get away with all sorts of things against humans.

You can't judge me. No one can.

'You're pretty black-hearted, aren't you?

'I'm the picture of an indoor person.

'I'm not talking about your skin color, I'm talking about your black stomach!

'My nipples are a beautiful pink.

'I didn't hear that, and I don't want to hear that!

Estella's ears flush red and she turns away.

I don't like it. Unlike Jeannette, I feel like I can s*xually harass this guy as much as I want.

Or rather, his reaction is so interesting that it seems like he's asking me to do more.

But seriously, ......, this guy's sharpness is dangerous.

The only reason he can see that I'm black-hearted is because he's just like me.

Besides. Estella's always hiding something.

That's the look in her eyes. I'm the same way, I know it.

If you think I'm black-hearted, ......

"What about you?

I say provocatively.

Estella glared at me and drove her fist into my face.

'...... Ngo!

'Why do I have to tell you what color my nipples are?

No, it's not. ...... It's not that, it's Estella. ......

I'd like to clear up a misunderstanding. ...... I'm too sore to talk. ............

I'm sure you'll agree that s*xual harassment should be moderated,......, so be careful.

I've been waiting for you ...... for a while now.I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

'Don't worry about it, Ginette. You deserve it.''

'Is that so, ......?

It's not that she deserved it, it's just that Estella was mistaken. ...... Well, she deserved it, didn't she?

'Ginette-chan. If this guy does anything weird to you, tell me right away.

'Yes, yes, yes.

'And you might want to keep this with you for protection.

'Um, what about this?

'Don't worry about it. It's easy to use. Unfortunately, it's not lethal, but it can at least repel perverts.

'Oh, gee, repel ......?'

Estella seems to be handing something to Jeannette, but she can't see through her tears.

d*mn. Pain in the nose doesn't go away.

While I was holding back the pain in my face, Ginette was sitting next to Estella eating and chatting happily.

These guys really get along well, don't they?

While I was thinking about this, when the pain in my nose began to subside,......, that guy came back.

It was Goozuya.

He came running into the cafeteria, out of breath.

He might be living quite far away.

'You didn't have to be so hasty.

'Ki, if I don't pay today, I'll be too anxious to work tomorrow. ......'

Once he returned to his home, his mood had calmed down somewhat, and the respectful tone had disappeared from Gooziya's face. His facial expression was also more firm than before.

'By the way, what do you do for a living?

'Or is it none of your business?

'I'm just making small talk. I'm just making small talk with the regulars.'

'...... I'm a carpenter!Sorry?

You're not very nice, are you?

Ginette looked at me with a worried expression at Gooziya's swiftness. I think she's confused by the situation.

Estella's eyes narrowed as if she sensed something. But she doesn't seem to want to interfere, so she silently brings the stewed river fish and hard black bread to her mouth.

'Here you go, 20Rb! You're not going to complain now!Tear up that paper!

I take the proffered 20Rb and look at the indignant Gusuya.

Then, in a calm voice, I say.

'Not enough, though?

'Huh?

Goozuya shouts loudly.

The blood vessels on his neck and forehead are so clear that they look as if they are about to burst.

'I ate stir-fried scraggly vegetables!It says 20Rb on it!Are you trying to rip me off?

Gusuya punches the table next to him with all his might.

If you break it, I'll make you pay for it.

'You're right, that stir-fried scrap vegetable you just ate was 20Rb. It's not wrong.'

'Then why ......?

Guzuya choked up as I pulled a piece of paper out of my breast pocket.

Goozha's eyes followed the text he had just written.

'What does it say here?

The paper that had been thrust in Gooziya's face was placed on a nearby table.

Ginette and Estella peered at the paper.

'...... This is'.

Estella looks at the paper and lets out a few words.

Then she glared at me with very cold eyes.

I was about to open my mouth, but I didn't say anything for now and quickly went back to my seat.

The look on his face as he left seemed to say, 'We'll talk later.

While Estella and I were exchanging glances, Goozja seemed to be rereading her writing, and when she finished, she snorted and shouted.

I'm sure you're not the only one who has a problem with this.That's why the 20Rb for stir-fried scraggly vegetables is correct!

Convinced of his own righteousness, Goozuya gained momentum.

So I'm going to say it loud and clear in a slow tone of voice.

'Who's going to believe that you're a first-time offender?

He knew that Jeannette was hiding in the kitchen, and he was used to eating and running away, so there was no way that this was his first time eating and running away today.

'Don't you dare say such a thing,......, you have no proof,.......'

You're a terrible liar.

Well, you seem to be avoiding outright lies because you don't want to be judged by the spirits. ......

'You asked Jeannette after you sat down, "Did you fix the chair? Did you fix the chair?'

'...... So, what?'

'So, you've been here when the chair was rattling, right?

'Umm............, that's .......'

'Did you pay properly at that time?

'............'

'You knew where the bathroom was, didn't you?I asked Jeannette where it was at first, but you knew, didn't you?Did you pay for it the last time you were here?'

'At ............, but with this case, it's .......'

'Read the text on there again.'

He pointed to a piece of paper spread out on the desk.

It says, 'You will be paid for your food and drink at the Sunlit Pavilion.

'It says here that you will pay for all the food and drinks you have eaten at the restaurant and have not yet paid for.

'Wait, I didn't mean to write that ......!

'Then let's let the spirit gods decide, shall we?

'Ugh!

I slowly pointed at Goozuya.

'Do you have the courage to be judged?

He looked straight at Goozuya and said, Goozuya slumped to the floor, his shoulders slumped and he admitted his defeat.

'...... All right. I'll pay the full amount. I'm sorry,......, I won't do it again,......, but please don't let me be the judge of the spirits,.......'

I don't know how many times he's gotten away with it. We'll just have to get him to confess.

It seems highly unlikely that he would lie there.

If you are suspicious, you can ask him how many times he has eaten and run away, and submit him to the judgment of the spirits.

The total number of times he ate and ran away was 18, and the total damage amounted to 640Rb.

Was he eating bread or something?

Once again, he did not have any money with him, so we had him write a new letter of reminder and asked Gusuya to leave.

It's hard to believe that he's the only one, but ...... if this rumor gets out, there won't be any more runaways.

You will not be able to collect on the past, but it is more important to prevent future losses.

I'm still planning on ripping them off as soon as I find them, though.

Even after Gooziya left, Ginette had a deep sinking look on her face.

'...... Will that customer come back again?

'It would be better if you didn't come, you know, to eat away.'

'But ...... that customer said, "It's delicious." ......'

'Ginette.

I guess I need to make it clear to this sycophant.

'What you're feeling right now is not kindness. It's stupidity.'

'Stupid ......?'

'Yes, it is. And it's a very atrocious thing.

'I am the outrageous ......'.

I sat Jeannette down in a chair, not across the desk from me.

She sits across from him, their knees touching, and looks him in the eye.

'Let's say you were self-sacrificing and overlooked Gusuya's escape. If you did, what would be the position of old lady Mum, who pays you well and comes to drink tea every day?'

'Ah ......'.

This thought occurred to me for the first time.

With that look on her face, Jeannette stared at me.

Like she's begging, pleading, exposing her insecurities. ......

'Grandma Mum is not particularly wealthy, is she?I'm sure you'll be able to find something that will help you out.

'...... Yes. Grandma Mum is a laundry woman who ...... always does a lot of work for a reasonable price. ......'

'You're disrespecting the good will of Grandma Mum, who is spending her hard-earned money on you.

'Me, sir?

'Yes, you are.

Old Mum is cutting back on her living to pay for her tea.

Gooziya is eating more expensive food for free.

To say that both of them are important guests is disrespectful to old lady Mum who is following the rules.

Even more so, to overlook it when you know that she has eaten and run away: ......

'I don't care if other customers are free, but only old lady Mum has to pay to drink tea?

'That's not true!

'Then, do you want Old Mum to be free too?'

'............'

'If you want to do that, this isn't a diner anymore. Your grandfather's diner is closed.''

'...... such............'

Jeannette turns over and squeezes the hand in her lap.

The hem of her skirt wrinkled and quivered.

'Think again about what's important and what should be important to you.'

'............ Yes.'

'Also, eating away is a crime. Don't allow it.'

'......But'

'It was just an accident, he might not really be a bad person. You're trying to say, '......', aren't you?'

'...... Yes.'

'Then tell him he's wrong, even more so.

When I softened my tone a little, Jeannette slowly looked up.

'Tell me about ....... ......?'

'Oh. 'Don't lower your value by doing such a bad thing, tell him that. You know what you used to say?'Repentance'. It's the same thing.

'...... penance'.

Ginette's hands moved from her lap to the front of her chest, folded as if in prayer.

'If I do that, will the man be saved?'

'At least he'll be free of sin, won't he? As long as he gets his money, I'm not going to pursue it any further.

'...... Yes, that's right.'

In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, there are a few things you can do.

I'll try my best, then.

Ginette, who has never denounced anyone, is now trying to change.

This will improve the management of this diner a little.

...... and, well, it's still Ginette who doesn't realize that I, the one who gave such a lecture, am the one who ran away from the restaurant and still hasn't paid for it.

It would be a great achievement if I could reply, 'Don't tell me that.

'That was a great lecture.

At the same time as Jeannette's smile returned, Estella clapped her hands and walked in front of me.

Her eyes are not smiling.

'Well, I'll denounce one of your sins for you ......!

As she said this, Estella tapped the paper spread out on the desk.

It's a reminder of what Gooziya had me write.

'I told you, didn't I?It's a felony to misuse the emblem of a lord!

'Oh, you did say that, I believe.

'Then what is the meaning of this?

'You didn't misuse the Lord's emblem, did you?

'You're not going to say, "I used it for a good deed, so I'm not abusing it"?That's naive!Using it privately without permission itself is considered 'misuse'!

'Well, you know. If you use it without permission, it's no good for any reason.

'If you know that, why are you using ......?

Estella grabbed me.

She tightens my collar and I choke up a little.

'Well, well, just calm down.

'Do you think this will help me stay calm?

'Just take a good look at this.'

With that, I hold out a piece of paper from my breast pocket in front of Estella.

It is stamped with an emblem of a double-headed eagle and a snake.

Estella releases my collar and takes the paper. She stares at it intently and lets out a deep sigh.

'You should be beheaded for making this ...... emblem, you know?

'So, take a good look!

I point to the paper emblem that Estella took from me.

Especially near the eagle's face.

The two eagle heads there are both winking.

'............ What's this?

'Isn't it cute?

'It's not cute!What's with the joke of an emblem?

'It's my emblem.

'Huh?

I don't have an emblem.

And since I don't have one, I thought I'd make one.

At that time, I was looking for something that could serve as a model, and I happened to find a permit from a lord.

So, I used that emblem as a 'reference' and created my own original emblem.

'That's a clone!

'Well, I admit that it is a clone, but I did not forge or misuse the emblem of the lord.

'Do you think that excuse will work ......?

'Don't you?

'............'

Estella crossed her arms and pondered .

'It's a very gray area. But it's not out of the question.

'Besides, it's clearly written. Right here.

I point to the two snakes entwined in the body of the double-headed eagle, and Estella and Ginette stare intently at it.

On the body of the snake, the words 'OBA' and 'YASHIRO' are written in what appears to be a speckled pattern.

'See?That's my emblem, right?

'...... Honestly, I'm stunned.'

'Mr. Yashiro, you are amazing. How did you manage to carve such detailed letters?

It's a letter as fine as the tip of a toothpick.

It takes a great deal of skill to carve such fine letters and to reverse them.

I'm proud of myself for pulling it off!

I guess my master's teachings are still alive in this place. He said, "Be particular about the details. That's aesthetics,' my master used to say.

I get it. I'll pretend I didn't see this.

Estella waved her hands in the air with an expression of exhaustion.

'But if you keep doing this, one day you'll catch the attention of the lords and the guards will move in.

The lords of the districts have their own vigilante groups to protect the safety of the districts they govern.

It is said that there are guards in the forty-two districts who protect the lords, the residents and the security.

It would be like the police in Japan.

'In that case, the excuse that they're not alike won't work. The aristocrats' statements can be twisted into trivial truths.

'They're the ones who should be judged by the Spirit God.

'I'm trying to warn you that you won't be able to stay here if you keep talking like that.

'...... Okay. I'll keep that in mind.

I'll be careful from now on.' Apparently, it's better to shut down 'Operation My Emblem'.

I worked so hard to carve it.

'Anyway, your behavior is too outlandish. You'd better pull yourself together.

Inserting the stamped paper into my breast pocket, Estella continued.

'If you disappear, Jeannette will be very sad.

I looked at Jeannette and ......

She smiled softly.

--I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.

...... It's only been three days since we met.

I'm sure he would say that to anyone.

Anyone who has had even the slightest conversation with him will feel lonely when he is gone.

So there's no need for me to feel anything about it.

I'll just stay here for a while longer at .......

I have nowhere else to go.

I don't even know the city yet.

'......All right.

So that's what I said for now.