Chapter 1451 - Final Race ⑤

Chapter 1451 - Final Race ⑤

It was the first time for our team to participate in the Flying Board competition, and we won the championship. While Hina-chan was excited and Aoi-chan, even though she looked happy, was acting cool, Black Muscat and Scarlet Blue’s members finally arrived.

[It was a great match, it was our complete defeat. Especially that moment where you rushed into the last big right curve, we were completely taken by surprise.]

[Thank you very much. It was also thanks to luck being on our side.]

When I thanked Black Muscat, who praised me in a polite tone, not with the character they were playing, Scarlet Blue also came and lightly applauded with a smile.

[Luck is also a skill. With how quickly you reacted to our attack and assessed the situation, it’s hard to believe that this would be your first time participating.]

[Ummm, we were also surprised when you made that attack before.]

[Fufu, I thought we would settle the race at that moment though….. What a shame.]

Unnn. How should I say this…… This feels really refreshing……. Or rather, I think they really are good people. Giving praise to the winner at the end of the race as if such is a matter of course, it was truly wonderful.

Aoi-chan and Hina-chan are also talking with the members of Black Muscat and Scarlet Blue, looking like they had fun.

[Ahh, that’s right. Since it’s your first time participating, I don’t think you’d know about this, but after every year’s race, the management prepares a location for an afterparty. Participation is free for everyone, but participants in the final race have all-you-can-drink and all-you-can-eat, so if you don’t mind, participate in it too.]

[Yes, the awards ceremony will take place in an hour. We hope to see you not only at the awards ceremony, but at the location of the afterparty later.]

Leaving those words, Black Muscat and Scarlet Blue left, lightly waving their hands goodbye. After that, we asked the management for an explanation about this matter, but since the award ceremony will apparently be after the collection of the magic crystals at the checkpoint is finished, it seems like the award ceremony will be an hour later.

After the awards ceremony, the afterparty will be held from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, where mainly regional cuisines and local alcohol will be served. It seems that the food and alcohol are provided by the locals, and this has somehow been going on for 40 years, so this competition may be rooted in this region.

[Ahh~~ That was fun!]

[Indeed, I first thought it was a strange competition…… but things got passionate and I enjoyed myself. I guess it’s thanks to Hina-chan inviting us huh.]

[I’m looking forward to the afterparty afterwards. Even though Hina-chan and I can’t drink, I’m looking forward to the food.]

After being briefed by the management, in order to pass the time until the award ceremony and relieve the fatigue from the race, I walked with them to have something to drink.

As expected, having won the race, they were both cheerful and seemed to be feeling quite happy.

Buying some drinks at a stall, I then moved to a place with benches where the three of us sat down side by side to take a rest.

[It’s nice and peaceful around here, isn’t it?]

[Indeed, this place is flourishing because the Flying Board competition is being held, but this place doesn’t feel like a tourist spot, so the atmosphere here is peaceful.]

Just as Hina-chan said, the atmosphere around here feels like a country town with a thriving farming industry, and it doesn’t feel like a tourist spot. Well, even if that’s the case, there’s a tranquil-looking naturally-formed lake and a clocktower in this town, so this seems like a good place to spend time leisurely.

I personally like this kind of atmosphere. I feel like leisurely fishing in the lake or something like that could be relaxing.

As I was thinking about this, I suddenly heard a voice I didn’t recognize.

[……Yo, sorry to interrupt your break. Do you have a moment?]

[Eh? Ah, yes? Can I help you?]

Turning my head in the direction of the voice, I found an elderly man with a solid build. He looked to be in his 60s or so, but he looked quite well-trained, tall, bearded and how should I say this…… He somehow has this military veteran feel about him.

He doesn’t seem to be someone I had ever seen before, but did he have some business with me?

[You’re him, right? The one named Miyama Kaito?]

[That’s right…… You are?]

[Ahh, my name is Okura Shigenobu. Well, long story short, I used to play the role of Hero.]

[……Eh? Then, you’re the Shige-san Kaori-san was talking about huh……]

[Yeah, that’s me. I also heard about you from Kaori-chan and a couple of old friends of mine. I’ve always wanted to meet you, but I didn’t think we’d run into each other by chance here, so I just came to say hello.]

This was really an unexpected encounter. I never thought that I would run into Okura Shigenobu, one of the former Hero actors who decided to emigrate that I had heard about from Kaori-san and Alice, and whom I had not yet met, at a place like this……

Come to think of it, I remember hearing briefly that he was living in a remote region of the Hydra Kingdom…… but I didn’t think it would be in this vicinity.

I’ve been looking forward to meeting him, so I’m very lucky to have met him like this.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [……I’m the Incarnate of Seriousness. No matter what anyone says, I’m the Incarnate of Seriousness!]

? ? ? : [……I- I see…… Well, if that’s what Senpai insists, then you can be whatever you want.]