Chapter 67

Botsuraku Youtei Nanode, Kajishokunin wo Mezasu

Vol. 4 Chapter 9

“Oh, will you be at it today?”

It is troubling if you say it like you are in a familiar pub or something….

At the dining hall, I met Jeremy-senpai who came with a job request the other day.

It has been quite a while since then… which reminds me, I did not get to ask how his brother’s love life is going.

It would be nice if my sword was of some assistance to it.

“Yes, I will probably be at it.”

I replied assuming that he was asking about the smithing.

I guess it might be because he was with his classmates so he just left saying “Then I will pay a visit later tonight.”

He is a person of integrity, thus, just as the sun had sunk and it became darker, Jeremy-senpai came by.

He was wearing this grin and his cheeks were red.

Judging from the bad breath, he was probably drunk.

It is a taboo to have alcohol inside the school grounds but I guess there are loopholes once you become an upperclassman.

“Senpai, you have been drinking quite a bit, haven’t you?”

“Ehehe, you can tell? Today is special so let’s leave it at that.”

I really do not know what’s so special but, he does not seem to be the bothersome drunkard so he will probably not do anything.

“Alright~ I am coming in.”

I got him some cold water like he wanted.

He gulped it all down in one breath and immediately asked for one glass more.

Exactly how much did you drink today? Considering all that, he is quite stable on his feet.

“Ahh, I have been drinking from yesterday, you see. Today as well, started drinking from the noon.”

“Is that really okay? Won’t it be bad if the teachers find out?

“Well the teachers will probably forgive for today. After all, my place of employment has been decided.”

Place of employment…..

I see, so Jeremy-senpai is in his final year.

They will be graduating soon, so I guess it is pretty normal for the talk of employment to come up in this season.

“I am, you know, more or less a noble, right? Well, it’s like the very edge of being a noble, you see. It’s like I am from a family which can barely be called nobles, you see, so there is nothing to take over from that family. But you see, as joyous as it is, I got a job at the royal capital. In fact, in the royal castle. Who knew I would be able to work with my brother, right? This is a joyous thing! How can I not drink?!”

“Oohhh, so that is how it is. Congratulations on getting the job!”

So that is why they are also allowing alcohol, huh? Though only for a limited time.

I guess this academy is quite broad-minded. I mean, they are letting me have a smithy here as well, after all….

“Haha~ thank you, thank you.”

Jeremy-senpai laughed with an amiable face.

He is a very sociable person, so I think he just wants to honestly celebrate.

“And so, about that matter. I immediately sent the sword to my brother after taking it from you. And good things just kept following. It seems like he is properly talking with the other party and that they liked the sword considerably. He wrote in the letter that ‘She was extremely happy to see the dazzlingly well tempered sword. But to me, her beautiful, straightforward smile was so much more dazzling that it sliced off my soul in half.’”

What is with that?It is too embarrassing for me to listen, so please, you do not need to report it to me. I feel the drunken sickness even though I did not drink any alcohol.

It is about time your brother should come to his senses! I just hope he does not feel like dying in the future.

“I-is that so? I am glad it went well.”

“And then, you see, good things have happened to me as well. Several days after I sent the sword to my brother, I got the notice saying I got accepted to a high ranking job in the royal castle, you see! Since then, my days have just been full of drinking and celebrating.”

“I-I see.”

I do not yet know the appeal of alcohol so I cannot really understand his feelings. But I completely understood that he was pretty happy.

“And so, you see? That’s not the end of it.”

Thought so. He is still drunk so I got the feeling that he will not stop talking for quite a long time.

“You see, I was called to the royal castle to show my face after receiving the pass notice. I met many higher-ups there, but at the end, I met the super important person, the prime minister! Really, he seemed so dignified and majestic!”

The prime minister… Eliza’s papa, eh….

That dandy, really competent-looking man to whom everything is secondary to his wife… I don’t quite know what to think of him…

When I hear about him from others like this, I just end up thinking that “he’s a pretty amazing guy after all, huh”.

He probably holds quite the power. I hope he does not use it in a wrong way…

“In the castle, you see, there were many good-looking people. A lot of women who looked like they will not pay any heed to me whatsoever, you see.”

“Jeremy-senpai, you are a pretty good person. If you keep working diligently, I am sure you will come across a great meeting.”

“Oh, really? You know your stuff, don’t ya?!”

Saying that, he patted me on the head. I really want him to stop but as he’s drunk so I guess it is alright for today.

“And you see, there’s even more.”

Yes, yes, please continue.

“So, you see, when I went to pay a visit to my brother, for some reason, I was surrounded by the Order of Knights. The Order of Knights is like that, you know, like you cannot be disillusioned by them. They just look cool because, you know, they gallantly ride horses wearing shining armor during an emergency. But generally, you know, they are potatoes. There were some even in my class, you see, they are just potatoes who are a bit good at brawls! But potatoes are pretty delicious, right? But you know, these potatoes are not. they are not like the soft and delicious potatoes. they are like potato bastard, okay?”

I wonder what he is talking about. He probably had something he wanted to say about getting surrounded by the Order of Knights but then the ‘Order of Knights are just potatoes’ came up and I cannot see where this is going.

“I was, you see, surrounded by these potatoes. These strong-muscled, smelling like sweat Order of Knight potatoes, you see. You know what they said to me? They said ‘you seem to be the one who prepared a sword for Madi. That sword which had Kururi Helan engraved in it.’ Madi? I was like ‘who in the world is that?’ you know? And then I remembered that it was the name of the woman my brother fell in love with. And then, you know, I thought ‘Ah, that sword.’. Then you see, they just drew really close to me, you know? ‘And they say to send them one as well! I surely thought they were going to congratulate me for getting a job but nope! They only think about themselves! What, you are not satisfied enough with just that muscle, huh?! Now you want an elegant sword as well, huh?! Potatoes shouldn’t be asking for butter!”

Potato butter, I see. Now there is the correct combination, Jeremy-senpai.

“And so you see, I told them right off, that ‘My buddy is the one making them. But he is quite the oddball so he won’t build you guys one that easily!’”

By oddball, do you mean me?! I am an oddball?!

Don’t tell me you were already drunk in the royal castle, Jeremy-senpai!

“And then, you see, they came desperately requesting me. That price was not a problem. So I summoned up my courage and told them, you see. I guess they would be surprised, wouldn’t they? Since I told them it is of the price same as half my annual salary. Kakkakkaka!”

“Half of your annual salary…..”

“Gulp”, I swallowed my saliva.

“And so, this is the money they entrusted to me!”

I really do not know where he had it hidden but Jeremy-senpai brought out a leather bag full of a large amount of money.

When I tried listening to it, the gold coins were self-asserting by jingling and jangling. ‘Goldy coin~ ufufufu~ I am a gold coin~’ like that. Well, not like I can actually hear those words exactly.

“Oo-ohhh?!”

“Total for 11 persons. I took as many as I could!”

“Ooohhhh!!”

Jeremy-senpai gave a nice, cool smile.

“This much?! No, I feel kinda bad. Please take some as commission.”

“No, I can’t take commission. More like, I don’t wanna. I got a good, stable job after all, you see”

Jeremy-senpai laughed loudlys. As expected, he was still drunk.

“But still, please let me show my gratitude somehow. This much….”

Letting me earn this much, thank you very much! Seriously, my future broadcast looks a lot brighter now! No, really!

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Now when I think about it, I wonder how I made you make a sword that good for a noble for such a small price. And also, your skills are really amazing. There aren’t many craftsmen who can build a sword like that, you know? You can’t sell your skills short. That’s why I took as much as I could. Even then, 11 of them requested it to be done. The customers have deemed your sword to be as worthy as that, you know?”

Ooohhh! Jeremy-senpai, you really look like a handsome hunk to me now!

Even though you look pretty plain, not like a noble and with a face which can be found pretty much everywhere, you look sparkling to me today!

“So you should be the one receiving this money. This is the justifiable amount for your swords.”

“Yes, I understand! This Kururi Helan will make swords equally good – no, even better than before for the 11 customers to prove that Jeremy-senpai’s eyes make no mistake!”

Before I realized, I was doing the gesture the Order of Knights do, putting their fists to their heart.

Making Jeremy-senpai say ‘Stop making that pose the sweaty potatoes do, you’re reminding me of them’.

I started working immediately.

I still have some materials. I should do as much as I can before the stock comes in. I will not have to send them altogether, after all.

I shall send them as I finish making them.

If they are waiting for it, then that way should be the best.

I thought the drunken Jeremy-senpai would go to sleep or return but it looked like he was staying.

“I want to see you work.” he said.

I am used to being watched. It is not a bother.

In fact, he is my first customer, and also the person who has really acknowledged my skill. I want him to watch.

While I was striking the metal, Jeremy-senpai respectfully started talking to me.

“Can you talk while doing it?”

“Yes, at this stage, I can.”

“Ah, so there are times when you cannot. I will keep that in mind. What do you plan on doing in the future, Kururi? Will you come to the royal capital?”

Future, eh…

Succeeding over the Helan territory would be the best.

If I do that, I can lead a stable life too…. And I can also take Eliza, who fell into ruin, as wife too..? Well, not that it matters…. Well, I guess it kinda does. Not like I have any interest or anything….

Well, I guess succeeding the Helan territory would be the best.

Even if Eliza comes, I can assure her a satisfying life. It is okay if she does not come anyway. I am not really that interested…? not really….

“I am blessed with being part of a noble family in possession of a land so I will probably succeed that.”

“Is that so?! I completely thought you were like me since you were doing this job…. So, why smithing?”

I guess that is how it will come, huh? Very justified question.

I would ask the same thing too if I was in his place. In fact, to the level that I would become anxious if I did not ask. Ah, my behaviour is too odd. How should I explain it to him?

Hobby? That would be too weird.

Philosophy? What is with that even…

“Men who have an occupation are pretty cool, aren’t they?”

I decided to keep quiet about the ruin. I mean, it is not like it is already set in stone that I will fall to ruin. Eliza is pretty quiet too, and surprisingly her father is also a pretty good man.

There are low chances of our house going under too.

Then I do not need to say it out myself.

“Well, I do understand what you mean. But it is quite different from what nobles’ hobbies are. Like I thought, you are an oddball. Well, not as if I don’t like that though.”

“Is that so? I also like Jeremy-senpai.”

“I really appreciate it. I was feeling a little anxious as there will many nobles with high status at the royal castle. I feel better now after talking with you.I thought that I would lay the foundation at the royal castle if you were also aiming to work there but I guess that was unnecessary, huh?”

You even thought that far for me?Really, this guy is so kind. Well, I already knew that from his brother’s love matter.

“Moreover, you also have your smithy. If it suits you, you might be able to earn more that way.”

“Hahahaha…..,”

I am starting to feel like that wouldn’t be so bad in itself.

If the Helan hot springs die out, I guess I might try doing business as the blacksmith there.

Ah, nope, nope, our hot springs will be indestructible forever!

“Well then, I, this is my limit….”

“Ah, if it’s okay, please use the bed. I don’t feel like I will be sleeping today.”

Bleugh-bleuggheghghehggh

Ehhhh, by limit, you meant that limit?!!

Please, spare me!!

“So-sorry… ah…”

Bleugh-bleuggheghghehggh

“Don’t talk! Just don’t talk anymore!”

“But still, lastly, Kururi, just this….”

“Ah, it’okay. Don’t talk anymore. I understand!”

“I, with you….”

Bleugh-bleuggheghghehggh

“Uuwe….”

There he goes. Jeremy-senpai has left for the dream world.

Oi oi oi oi, who is going to clean up this vomit?! Huh?!!