Chapter 68

Botsuraku Youtei

Volume 4 Chapter 10

By the time I had finished up one sword, I was completely covered in ash.

I am also in good form recently; I feel like I am in the zone.

And mostly only during these times…. someone always gets in the way.

“Sorry to be here so late at night, I am coming in.”

There we go.

I have grown accustomed to it by this point. Today, the prince comes in again like he owns the place.

“What-why are you making that face? If you want, I can go back, you know? If you really want it. Look, I am really going back? Are you okay with that?”

Ah, so bothersome.. so very bothersome.

I hope you get hated by Iris.

Of course, I did not say it out loud but I did shout it out in my heart.

“If you say it like that, I can’t turn you away, now can I? So, what did you need?”

“Today, you see, I brought some good stuff.”

Good stuff?

“There you go – making that happy face. What happened to that reluctant face just now? Really, I would like to put the two side by side and compare.”

“What good stuff?”

“You know, people who excessively want stuff are generally the ones who have some kind of fear. Like I thought, you are hiding something not good, aren’t you?”

He-he is sharp! Even though he is a piece of junk when it comes to love matters.

“O-of course not~ You handsome prince~ All hail the Kudan country!”

“What is with that blatant flattery? Well, if you did do something bad, you should say so early on. It would just get unnecessarily hard to deal with later. Now then, let’s return to the souvenir.”

“Let’s do that. Is it the black box you are holding in your right hand?”

The prince had a rectangular leather box in his hand.

Something good is inside it. I can smell it. My nose knows.

“That’s right. You’ve been quite bothersome saying ‘reward, reward’ from quite a while back so I specially got this supplied. Even among the royalty or nobles, only a limited number of people can eat th-

What? What is with that clearly unpleasant face?”

It appears that the prince is excelling at reading my expressions lately.

And in fact, I was indeed disappointed.

Food, eh?

The reward from the royal family is food, eh?

I am not a kid!

If you finish eating that, it will be the end of it!

Surely there were other things in the royal castle! Vase! Vases are preferable. Even better if it’s a painting.

Haa-, it looks like the childish prince is not well-informed in that aspect.

“You don’t understand, do you? You have been saying for a while, haven’t you? That something which will be worth a lot in the distant future would be nice.”

“Nn? I am amazed you remember it. If that is the case, then why food?”

“Even though it is food, it is quite amazing. Never mind that, I will just show it to you first.”

The prince carefully opened up the black box using both his hands.

And in the inside… Uwaah, it stinks!!

This, what is this, it stinks so much!

“What do you think? Isn’t it amazing?”

“Amazing! Amazingly stinky!”

Inside the box, there was light brown colored round spherical object.

It was all dry and wrinkled up. And it was emitting an intense smell similar to a rotten fish.

Wait a minute, this……

“Prince, it is just us here so I won’t try to dress my words but…”

“Nn?”

“This.. this is poop, isn’t it?”

“It is not poop!”

“No, no, no, it’s poop no matter how you look at it! From the smell to the looks! Who are you trying to deceive, putting it in a high-class box?! Poop is just poop!”

“Ahh what a rude guy. You want me to take it back? I will take it back, you know? I will really take it back?”

Ahh! That way of talking is unfair! Unfair!

I guess I have no choice but to ask for the full explanation now.

“Then, what is this?”

“It’s an eyeball.”

“Eyeball?”

“Yep. Moreover, an eyeball of an ancient dragon. If you boil this and drink it, they say you can get quite high.”

“Quite high, you say… what is this dangerous smell it has been giving off for all this time then?!”

Like white powder-ish? I will pass.

“To be honest, I don’t really know much about it. But it’s of high value, there’s no doubt about that. I went through quite the trouble to get a hold of this, you know? It’s worth will probably not drop either. Also, it won’t rot anymore. I mean, it is already pretty rotten, I guess….”

“Mmm, I will give to my father so I guess I will accept it.”

“Oi oi, it really is worth a really high price, you know? Well, what you do with it is up to you though.”

I do not really want to store this dirty thing.

It’s best to give these stuff to him.

I am sure he will gratefully accept and immediately eat it if I say it is from the prince.

“Actually, I also came for another matter today.”

“What is it? Is it a loan? That’s okay with me.”

“That’s not it! It’s that, that thing. Ahh- what was it again? I forgot. This is all your fault, you know?”

“I am pretty sure it is a loan. It’s okay, you don’t need to feel shy. What is it? Are you gambling or something? What a troublesome person.”

“That’s not it! Ah, yes. I remember. You’re storing a large quantity of swords, aren’t you? The self-made ones.”

“Yes, they are in that room.”

“I know. Let me have a look.”

I was wondering what it could be but, he just wanted to see my swords which he had already seen before.

I wonder what brought this on… Is he going to buy some? I would really like him to buy some off of me.

Rustling sounds could be heard from the next room for a while. I wonder what he is doing… From the sound of things, he is probably looking for something in that pile of swords.

But still, we are talking about that prince here. I should also bear in mind that he might not be doing something good.

The door opened and the prince came back.

He was holding three swords with both of his hands.

“I have been thinking for a while now but… on contrary to the curves of swords the normal producer makes, as hard as it is for me to say…. your ones are beautiful.”

“Eh?”

What did you say just now? Beautiful?

“And also, their functionality is exceedingly well too. They are light, sturdy, and the balance is also great. Hmm, as I thought, you have good skills.”

What is this all of a sudden? It-it’s not like I will come to like you if you compliment me that much, okay?!

This is bad, I was just thinking like a maiden.

Do not get shaken by the prince’s compliments, me!

He will think of me as an easy woman then! Ah-this is bad. My heart is going complete maiden mode.

“What would an amateur know of it- da ge!”

Ah. I ended up spouting something incomprehensible at the end with a bitter voice.

For me to do such a thing… can’t I hide my embarrassment in a better way?!

“Ah, sorry. I should have been careful when talking about those delicate things about a craftsmen.”

What is this? What is with the prince today?!

Bringing a present, complimenting me, and being awfully honest!

Death flag?! Are you going to die? After this? Please, take care of yourself!

“I will be taking these three.”

Ah, so you will be taking them. Can’t you say something like ‘Say the price, I will take it!’ there?

Well, I do not really mind either way. Take it, they were lying there anyway.

“That is fine with me but, where will you be going with all three?”

“Aah, I will be giving them as a present to a person. I have received quite a bit of assistance from them, you see.”

“Assistance, eh?”

“That person does not like things of high value. But on the other hand, I also do not want to harm their dignity by sending the stuff going around in the city. And so, after thinking about it a bit, I remembered about the swords you had made. I thought to myself, ‘Ah, those were quite pretty’. I felt like that so I came to look today and as I had thought, all of them are great. I have not been looking properly up till now but, it seems like your skills are the real deal. If I send this, it won’t be a shame and it is also not one of those things going around in the city.”

Ah, the prince is probably going to be the guy who dies after this. He just set up the death flag. He just became too nice of a guy.

And I will probably become the guy who regrets and cries a lot after he dies. Yep, it must be that. Definitely.

“The person you are sending it to, are they important to you?”

“Ah, when I was a child, I met them when I snuck out of the castle. They liberated me from the illness, you see. I was also taught many other things by them. Me, being here like this, is also because of that person. Truly, a wonderful person.”

“That means… they are really important to you, aren’t they?!”

“Of course. They are like family to me.”

To think the prince also had a pure side. No, this person has been pure from the beginning.

I wonder what kind of a person they are.

They probably straightened up the prince when he was a cheeky brat. A muscular older brother? Or perhaps like another mother? Either is fine, I guess.

“Why 3 then?”

“Well, of course it’s that. One for self-defence, one for admiration and one for preservation.”

What kind of a otaku are they?

“Haa- I guess I have no choice. Please take two with you. I will devote myself into making a perfect sword for self-defence now so please come and take it tomorrow.”

“Nn? Why? Why are you bothering yourself so much about it”

“It won’t do if they end up getting hurt because of my sword. I at least want them to use a sword I have confidence in for self-defence. Also, this might be some sort of fate. If you are going to choose one of my swords, I cannot go about it with half-baked measures. It is okay. It will be done by tomorrow night so please come and collect it.”

The prince murmured “I see.” and also said something afterwards which I could not make out.

He put down a sword, and looked back at me just as he was leaving and said,

“I, somehow, feel like if it is this you, we could be friends for life. You…. you won’t die after this now, right?”

That is my line!!