Chapter 70

I'll translate the text while maintaining the original structure and formatting:

Coming here, there's a Japanese fever going on.

Another Japanese person, the third one.

“I'm Kusunoki Ichinokami. Here, I'm known as Ichinojou.”

Since he was polite, I responded with a certain level of politeness.

“Is Ichino not your last name?”

Marina suddenly exclaimed in surprise. Come to think of it, I hadn't introduced myself to her yet.

Since Carol calls me Ichino, she must have mistaken it for my last name.

I checked Suzuki's profession.

【Holy Knight: Lv39】

Wow, that's cool.

A Holy Knight, huh.

How do you become one?

Should I try to get some information?

“Did you say you're a hero? Is that your profession?”

“No. To be precise, my profession is Holy Knight. My level is 39.”

“Hmm, is Holy Knight a blessing?”

“No, Holy Knight is a top-tier profession. I have a separate blessing.”

“Hmm, what kind of blessing is it?”

“I'll leave that to your imagination.”

Suzuki smiled, showing his white teeth.

He's not going to give away that information.

A blessing is a kind of hidden skill and a trump card.

I have no intention of telling this person, who I don't even know if is an enemy or an ally, about my own blessing.

“...Well, it's fine. Since we've met another Japanese person, how about we have a meal together?”

I was actually planning to finish my meal before the sun set, but after getting information from Carol, I came up with the idea of street performing to gather customers, and as a result, I haven't had dinner yet.

I'm hungry too.

“No, I plan to head to the next town after I finish my business.”

“Hmm... What kind of business?”

“Well, could you free those three slaves over there?”

Huh?

What is this idiot suddenly saying?

“What do you mean? Are you against slavery? I can understand that as a Japanese person, but you also have three slaves, don't you?”

“That's their choice. I intend to free them whenever they wish.”

Saying that, Suzuki glanced at the three people standing behind him.

A woman in a nun's habit. A woman who looks like a swordsman. And a short girl holding a stuffed animal.

The three's professions are 【Apprentice Mage】【Swordsman】【Curse Mage】. Well, it's a well-balanced party.

“I'm an Apprentice Mage, but I was captured by a slave trader and rescued. I plan to continue being a slave until I repay that favor.”

“I participated in a swordsmanship tournament as a gladiator and lost to Suzuki. I asked him to buy me. I've decided that I'll remove this collar when I defeat Suzuki.”

“...I decided to follow Ko-nii, who saved my village.”

This guy is really doing something like a hero.

What kind of protagonist is he?

“If that's the case, it's the same for me. I also intend to remove the collars from Haru and Carol whenever they wish.”

When I said that, Haru and Carol nodded in agreement.

“What about the female mage? I've been observing her since this morning, and it seems like she's taking away important things and forcing her to do street performances to make money.”

I want to correct that. It's not like street performances, it is street performances.

But if I say that, it will complicate things, so I won't.

If I decided to listen to the conversation, as expected, that guy stood up.

“You call my super magic a street performance. I'll buy that fight—Ah, Ichino-san, please return the mask...”

“Shut up, you'll complicate things.”

I took the mask and put it in my item bag.

She reached out to take the mask from the item bag, but only the owner can take things out of an item bag.

No matter how she tried, she couldn't get it.

“You've shown your true colors. Taking a woman's accessory and making it your own is something I can't forgive as a man. It seems the information was correct.”

“...Ah, it's complicated. I have no intention of fighting you, though.”

“I don't want to fight either, but if you don't agree, there's no other way.”

Saying that, Suzuki drew his sword.

“Got it. But if we fight here, it will bother the other customers. Let's go outside.”

“That's right... Let's continue outside.”

Suzuki and the three women left the shop.

I—

“Here are four servings of seasonal pasta. I kept you waiting.”

I ate the pasta that was brought as if I had been waiting for it.

I ordered the seasonal pasta, but I don't know what season it is now. It must be spring because it's comfortable.

There were boiled wild herbs on top of the pasta, and the taste was similar to spinach.

I encouraged the three women to eat as well, and we started our meal together.

“Master Ichino, don't you need to go?”

“Need to eat first.”

“I want to fight that female swordsman.”

“Hey, Ichino, the mask... Ah, it's delicious.”

As we were eating pasta together,

“You—What are you doing!”

Suzuki returned to the guild, his face red.

“What, having a meal. Is being a hero about attacking during meals and disrupting them?”

When I said that, Suzuki's face turned even redder, but he exhaled and relaxed his shoulders.

“...I'll wait until you finish eating.”

“By the way, you guys should eat too. I ordered four more servings. This pasta is delicious, you know?”

“No, actually, I'm allergic to wheat...”

“Being allergic to wheat in this world must be tough. Bread seems to be the main food.”

“I have potatoes in my item bag, so I'll use them as my main food—No, that's not the point!”

“Got it. It's a match, right? What if I lose?”

“He will command them to ignore all past commands and honestly say whether they want to be free. If any of them want to be free, they will be released.”

I see. In that case, there's no disadvantage for me.

If I give that command to the three right now, it seems like everything would be resolved.

“What if I win?”

“As long as you don't harm my companions, you can command me anything.”

“Just one command?”

“As many as you want.”

I can't lose. That's the confidence I felt from Suzuki.

“Alright, let's have a match.”

After finishing the pasta, I said that.

“So, is rock-paper-scissors okay for the match?”

“What are you saying! A match is—”

“Can only be resolved by violence? Is that what a hero is?”

“...Alright.”

Suzuki agreed to rock-paper-scissors as the method of the match.

If it could be resolved with rock-paper-scissors, there was no need to make us wait, but it was probably a way to annoy me for treating me like a villain.

“However, the match will continue until one of us wins three times. Is that okay?”

Suzuki added a condition.

I replied, “Sure.”

“By the way, Holy Knights are one of the professions blessed by the goddess with high luck. They are as lucky as a wanderer, who has nothing but luck. You might have had a chance to win in a single match, but in multiple matches, you have no chance of winning. A strategist drowning in his own schemes is exactly this!”

—10 seconds later.

“Why!? Why can't I win! What did you do!?”

“What did I do? I just played rock-paper-scissors, right?”

But, I changed my profession a bit. I added wanderer and hunter to boost my luck significantly.

“Damn...”

Suzuki fell into despair.

Since my goal is almost achieved, I should clear up the misunderstanding now.

“Ah, Haru, Carol, and Marina. Command. Ignore all past commands and honestly say whether you want to be free.”

I gave the command to the three, trying to be as faithful to Suzuki's words as possible.

“I've already said, I have no intention of leaving my master.”

“Carol also. Carol is a slave by her own will.”

Haru and Carol stated.

“I... I...”

I took the mask from my item bag and gave it to Marina.

Marina quickly put on the mask and said,

“Don't misunderstand, Ichino. I am a temporary master, and the only master I recognize is my ally, Canon. You have no right to do anything to me.”

She said this with a cheerful laugh.

“That's it.”

As I said this triumphantly, Suzuki's face turned pale,

“I'm sorry. It was completely my misunderstanding. Please forgive me.”

He performed a perfect Japanese apology style... in other words, a dogeza.

I patted Suzuki's shoulder and said kindly, “A hero shouldn't apologize like that.”

“So, who told you I was a villain? You got the information, right?”

“...I can't say.”

“Didn't you say you'd do anything I asked? Tell me, then?”

“...Alright. But please, come with me. And please don't tell anyone what I'm about to say.”

“I understand. I already have a pretty good idea. So, it's a hit, right?”

I smiled evilly and left the adventurer guild.

There, Suzuki's three companions were waiting.

I said with a smile, “The misunderstanding is cleared, so there's no need for a match. But I've already ordered the food. If you don't mind, please have a meal with us.”

And I added, “We have some important Japanese business to discuss, so we'll be stepping out for a bit. We'll be back soon.”

“So, Suzuki, the guy who spread the bad rumors about me, does he have a D?”

“D... I see, Kusunoki. You know about it too. Yes, he has a D.”

In the first place, in this town where I first arrived, there are only three people who have a grudge against me.

In other words, those three men who approached me at the adventurer guild.

I need to meet them again.

“I need to read the continuation of that D I secretly read, carefully.”

Also, I secretly got Suzuki to teach me how to become a Holy Knight as an apology.

It seems that a noble who reaches level 50 as a knight can change to a Holy Knight... Come to think of it, I heard this from Haru.

...Hmm, he's a noble.

But apparently, he doesn't like being treated as a noble, so I'll pretend I didn't hear it.