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Kojirou   Things I Want To Do
「

what the heck happened」
Being brought to the Shogun-sama’s room on the top floor of Kagura castle, I am now in front of the Shogun governing Kagura, Kagura Gouki-sama (ç„žæ„œć‰›æŻ…).
And the Shogun, Gouki-sama is holding his head and groaning.  www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
To put it simply, this is what happened to Gouki-sama after Kinugasa explained that I wanted to resign.
The reason he became like that is obviously because of me, but I can’t do anything about it this time.
Just that, I only have to wait for Gouki-sama to calm down.
After a while, Gouki-sama clears his throat and asks, perhaps he finally managed to sort out his thoughts.
「Kojirou, was what Kinugasa told me the truth?」
「Yes, there is no mistake about it」
「You are not saying a joke with your usual phrases, right? You will not be able to work in this castle again if you return the sword, you know?」
「Yes, I am prepared」
Gouki-sama makes a bewildered expression on his face when I resolutely answer.
「

is this ‘that’? You had a squabble with Kinugasa and then you reflexively said those words after that, right? It was just something that you said by mistake and you could not take back, right? Kinugasa and I are not that much of a demon, you know. We will not be angry if you withdraw your statement――」
「No, it was not like that. I said that of my own volition. I am not going to go back on my words」
「Have you discussed it with your mother, Ouka? (æĄœèŠ±)」
「

I have not」
Gouki-sama looked very relieved when I tell him that.  www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
He must think that my mother will be able to persuade me now.
「But, I am no longer a child. It will be fine even if I don’t get my mother’s permission」
「No no, this is about the eldest son of the Inaba family saying that he wants to resign as a swordsman. It is not a problem that we can proceed without Ouka here」
I told him that it was fine if we don’t call my mother here, but Gouki-sama was being stubborn and intended to stop me from resigning.
「Oi, someone. Call Ouka here」
Then Gouki-sama orders a swordsman in waiting and calls for my mother.
Che, how troublesome.
Following Al’s advice, I was thinking to tell my mother that I quit my job after.
Oh well, whatever. It will be going smoothly if I were to receive my mother’s permission here.
No one talks in the Shogun-sama’s room, there is only the sound of the rustling of clothes from Gouki-sama tapping on his foot.
I wonder if he is flustered?
Compared to that, my heart is very calm and clear. Aah, I can’t help but to look forward to studying about unadon.
I have to practice more in processing the eel and being able to handle eels smoothly with a knife like Al.
Also, I have to start working on my own secret sauce. Al also told me that it will bring out a good flavor if I were to simmer the eel bones.
I have to complete a true unadon as quickly as possible. And then, I will let Al have a taste and astonish Al this time.
Just imagining Al and Roomba’s surprised figures make me happy already.
As I’m imagining such a future, two presences approached from the hallway
「Gouki-sama, I brought Ouka-dono」
「Hm, enter」
After Gouki-sama calmly said that, the swordsman-in-waiting slowly opened the sliding door.
Then, a woman came in from outside.
Long, glossy black hair that makes you recall a crow’s wet feathers and skin as white as snow. However, her gaze was so sharp it was terrifying, it was like a drawn sword.  www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
Inaba Ouka (çšČè‘‰æĄœèŠ±). Despite being a commoner, she rose up in position with her sword skills and was able to compete with the present head of the Inaba house - which is my father -, she is my mother.
And although such a character looks calm at a glance, she is actually stern.
Though she’s strict with herself, she’s also strict with others.
I know it well since she taught me swordsmanship when I was little.
Mother sit down diagonally from Gouki-sama, and she politely asked after bowing to him.
「Gouki-sama, is it true that Kojirou said something foolish such as resigning from his job?」
「Yes, he even said that he would return the sword I bestowed him」
The moment Gouki-sama answered like that, my mother’s shoulder shook in surprise.
Aah, she got angry now. Even if I can’t see her expression, I know my mother's current state of mind.
「I apologize for my son. I will persuade him to change his mind now.....」
After apologizing to Gouki-sama, my mother turned around to face me.
Mother’s sharp gaze is frightening. But, if I were to cower right now then they will just perceive me as someone throwing a tantrum and weak-willed as usual.
Scolding my own timid heart, I fix my gaze on my mother’s eyes.
I will complete the unadon that Al taught me.  www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「You’re doing it again, Kojirou. Saying things like ‘I want to resign’ will just make Gouki-sama troubled, you know. To say nothing of making a joke of returning the word to the Shogun-sama......so it seems like it is not a joke this time around?」
And then, perhaps my mother was able to sense my determination this time, she stammered and suddenly stopped talking midsentence.
「That’s right Mother. This time, I’m stating my resolution that I’m going to resign from my job. Returning the sword to Shogun-sama without being prepared myself will be too rude」
There is no way I can joke around by saying that I’m going to return the sword Shogun-sama bestowed onto me. Although I’m completely unenthusiastic about my job, I don’t have such a degenerate personality to do such a thing.
「

just what happened to you?」
「I met irreplaceable friends and I found something I really wanted to do」
「Something you really wanted to do.......」
Al understand deeply about the suffering I experienced in my workplace and he even taught me how to make unadon.
And Roomba - who didn’t ridicule me for impulsively saying that I want to quit my job - encouraged me in my decision.
The encounter with those two and unadon has changed my sense of values and I found out my meaning in life.
「What does Kojirou want to do?」
As I’m recalling the time I met those two people, Gouki-sama nervously asked.
Even my mother is also looking at me with a serious expression on her face trying to hear what I’m about to say.
Somehow the tension inside the room rose and I inhale and clearly tell them.
「I’m going to open a restaurant and make unadon」
「「「Unadon?」」」
Gouki-sama, my mother, and Kinugasa tilt their head in confusion.  www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
Fuuh, it’s natural. The people who know about unadon in this whole country are probably only me, Al, and Roomba.
「What is this ‘unadon’?」
「Yes, it is a rice dish where you process and cut an ell and then grill it, smear soy sauce-based tare sauce on it, and then eat it with rice.」
「Fuu, here I’m wondering what that is, of all things an eel has a lot of bones and they smell so bad, it is not something that is meant to be eaten. It will not become a dish even if you add it on top of rice」
Hearing my answer, Kinugasa - who had been sitting there like a decorative object - took the chance to make a snide comment.
You know, each time this baldy speaks even ordinary comments can become something irritating to listen to, it’s strange.
Although, Kinugasa’s comment is Kagura’s perception of eel. And until just a while ago, I would also be having that perception as well.
However, no I know that is not the truth.
「That is wrong. As long as you know the correct cooking method, even that eel can be turned into a delicious dish. And I know that method!」
「That’s nonsense. You, a swordsman, can not know such knowledge or skill」
「If that’s the case, I will show you how to process an eel into a delicious dish, and make a unadon!」
So I declare and stand up vigorously to Kinugasa as he snorts with laughter.
If they don’t know the charm of unadon, then I will make them understand it by letting them eat the actual dish.
「Oi, this is not the time of arguing whether you can turn an eel into a delicious dish or not, but it is time to stop Kojirou from resigning――」
「Then, let us do this. As Kojirou said, if the three of us, myself included, can recognize the eel dish then we will approve of Kojirou's resignation」
While Gouki-sama is rebuking us, my mother suddenly said that.
How unexpected. Considering my mother’s personality, I thought she would start scolding and yelling at me even in front of the Shogun-sama but......what on earth is going on here?  www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Oi, Ouka!?」
「Gouki-sama, I have known about it for a long time, that my son has no motivation despite his ability. And for such a person to do such things like becoming a guard for Shuichi-sama and managing the swordsmen he is not the suitable person for the job」
Right, that is really the truth.
Setting Shuichi-sama’s guard duty and instructor, it’s really impossible for me to manage my subordinates.
Why was I pushed to such a high position just because I have some skill with the sword? The ability as a swordsman and the ability to command and organize people are separate things.
It would be easier if I was just a normal swordsman.
「

well certainly, a part of the people from the lower ranks are voicing their dissatisfaction regarding that」
Just as Kinugasa said, some people may already have seen through my attitude regarding my position and complained about it. That said, there’s actually also the jealousy over my status and ability mixed in with those voices of dissatisfaction.
As for me, I’m doing the job that was entrusted to me out of habit, but I think it is better to have a superior who is more motivated and able to lead everyone in the right direction.
「Unununu.......that eel dish or whatever, does it have that much value to make you resign from your job as a swordsman?」
「Of course. If I manage to complete it, then it would be able to make Kagura’s food culture take a step forward」
Even though there are a lot of them, people couldn’t eat them since they don’t know the method to cook them and the citizen will also be happy if they can eat eels deliciously. It will definitely become progress in food culture. And besides, it would be worth the decision of resigning from my current job if I can contribute to it.
「You’ve said it now. In that case, make that unadon-thing and show it to us to prove it just as Ouka suggested. If I decide it is worth Kojirou to resign then I will allow you to resign」
「Yes」
Thus, it is decided that I will now make unadon in order to resign from my duties.