Introductions

The Debt Hero Wataru arrived.

As promised, I decided to introduce Nayuta to Wataru. He came by as usual, and I set things up normally. No problems at all.

"P-pleased to meet you! M-my name is Nayuta!"

"I'm Setsuna～"

"Nice to meet you. I'm Wataru Nishimi, the empire's Hero."

And so, Nayuta and Setsuna were seated across from Wataru and me at a four-person table in the dining hall. It wasn't mealtime, so there were no other guests around.

"Let's see, I heard a bit from Kehma-san, but you two are from Wakoku?"

"Y-yes. And so, there are many things I'd like to ask you as a Hero, Wataru-san! Um, we'll pay for the information, so…"

"It's fine. Instead, I'd like to ask you about Wakoku in exchange, so let's call it even."

And by sitting in on this, I'd be getting information on the side too… Well, I didn't really need to be here. I just realized that if the conversation turned to me, I'd need to stop it before things got out of hand.

"So, does Wakoku have cherry blossoms?"

"Yes, it does. They're the pink flowers that bloom on trees in spring."

"Ah, so they do bloom in spring after all. Then maybe spring would be the better time to visit… well, I'm so swamped with work until my debt is paid off that I don't have the luxury to go."

"Debt?"

"Yeah, about two thousand gold coins… I'm paying it off in installments, yeah…"

"By the way, if we were to cover that amount on our end, would you consider becoming Wakoku's Hero…"

"I owe Haku-san too much… she's still introducing me to work and I'm steadily building up my good standing."

"So it's true that Heroes are duty-bound…"

Nayuta let out a sigh. Setsuna didn't seem to quite understand, as she was just smiling.

"Hey hey, wanna have a mock battle later? I'm suuuper interested in strong people."

"Haha, sure, later. By the way, what else does Wakoku have?"

"Um, there's miso and soy sauce."

"Eating raw fish was a bit scary, but the sashimi was really good."

"Ooh… as expected of Wakoku. Is there sake too?"

"We don't have ginjo, but there is shochu. Since it doesn't use rice, strictly speaking it's not Japanese sake but Wakoku sake… ah, but I recently heard that rice was discovered. That's actually one reason I came to the Raverio Empire, to investigate. Apparently the methods for making it have been passed down, so all that's needed is the rice itself."

"Eh? Rice isn't in Wakoku?"

Ah, crap. Come to think of it, I'd said it was there, hadn't I…

"Hey, wasn't there something more important you wanted to ask the Hero—"

"From what we heard, our employer managed to obtain a very small amount that was discovered in the Raverio Empire through connections. Unfortunately, it was pre-processed, but when it was presented to the Mikado—ah, the Mikado is the most important person in Wakoku, a descendant of the Hero who founded Wakoku."

I tried to cut in but failed completely. Nayuta wasn't paying any attention to me at all.

"Mikado… I see, Mikado (Emperor), huh. So Wakoku was a country established by a Japanese person… that's why it's named Wakoku…"

"And when the rice was presented to the Mikado, he confirmed it was unmistakably the real thing. Reproducing Japan is Wakoku's ultimate goal. An edict was issued to investigate the area where it was produced and obtain seeds. Ah, that's a state secret."

"Haah, I see. So, about that rice… ah, is it okay for me to ask about this?"

"We're supposed to keep it secret… but in reality, we're seeking any bit of information we can get, so spreading the word is fine."

Is that really okay for a state secret? I wanted to tilt my head in confusion.

"Then about that rice—"

"Hey, Wataru. A Hero from so long ago that he could found a whole country wouldn't be much of a lead for your goal of returning to Japan, would he?"

I promptly interrupted. Come to think of it, rice hasn't been showing up lately unless you order the A set meal. We still have a lot of wheat we bought to get through winter, so we need to use it up. Thanks to that, Nayuta probably hasn't noticed we serve rice at this inn. If she had, she definitely would have asked about it by now.

"Eh? Ah, you didn't know, Kehma-san? Hero summoning transcends time. The Food God, Hero Ishidaka-san, spread food culture that suggests he was from roughly the same era as me, so the flow of time must be different."

Eh, really? I feel like I just heard something pretty significant for the first time.

"More importantly, it's about the rice, Kehma-san! Apparently there's no rice in Wakoku!? Hey Kehma-san, I need to ask you about—"

"Alright, hold up. Sorry, but I need to borrow Wataru for a moment. Come on."

"Eh, w-what is it, Kehma-san?"

I pulled Wataru away from the table. Nayuta glared at me for interrupting at the good part, but I couldn't care less.

"Let's keep it quiet that you and I are the ones who brought rice to the imperial capital. Got it?"

"Eh, but… the people of Wakoku really want rice, don't they? Let's share it with them."

"Idiot, that's exactly why. That's why we can sell it for a premium. Supply and demand; it's basic merchant sense. If your careless remarks cause me losses, I'm adding it to your debt. Be prepared to pay a hundred gold coins a month for the rest of your life… got it?"

"Uuu, what the heck… I'm a Hero and yet money is being used against me… but then, Kehma-san, where did you get the rice from?"

"You think I'd tell you with that loose mouth of yours? Hmm?"

"Yeah, I understand. I'll keep quiet."

After settling things with Wataru, we returned to our seats together. Sitting in was definitely the right call after all.

"… It doesn't seem like I'd be of any help with the rice search. Man, what a shame."

"Village Chief-san? What on earth did you…"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Now, you had something you wanted to ask the Hero, right? Go ahead."

"Um, well, excuse my rudeness, but please take a look at this."

Nayuta set her handmade revolver lookalike on the table with a soft clunk. I thought she might threaten him like she did with me, but since she already knew he was Japanese, there was no need.

"Hm? It looks like a gun… but what is this?"

"I'm trying to reproduce a weapon from the world of Heroes. I'd like your opinion on it."

"… I see, so you're trying to reproduce guns. What for?"

"My hobby!"

"Your hobby, huh…"

Hobby was a troublesome answer. So I decided to interrupt.

"By the way, Wataru. About guns. Apparently the only information recorded is their appearance and the principle that they use explosions to propel bullets. The crucial method of creating the explosion isn't understood… I wonder why the Hero of that era left such incomplete records?"

"… Ah, that's it! He feared the existence of guns as weapons that could destroy culture, so he left behind just enough information to prepare countermeasures without actually being able to build them…!? Kuh, so if I respect his intentions, then I… can't say anything more about guns! Sorry, Nayuta-san…"

"Ah, no, um… ugh, hey, Village Chief-san? If you're going to keep getting in the way, could you just leave?"

This blonde dog-eared girl just called me a hindrance.

"I'm the one making introductions here. What would you do without me?"

"I can't get a single bit of information from this perfectly good source because of you!"

"Wataru, if you're going to have that mock battle with Setsuna, want to use the backyard?"

"Hero-san, let's fight! Fight!"

When I brought up the mock battle with Wataru while pointedly ignoring Nayuta, Setsuna took the bait as planned.

"Ah, yeah. That's fine with me. I wasn't able to give much useful information anyway."

Wataru answered while sneaking glances at Setsuna's bouncing chest.

But that girl doesn't just have the top part. She's got something down below too.

I didn't say it though.

"… You seem to be enjoying yourself, huh～?"

BANG! Nerune slammed her wooden cup down on the table. A little water splashed onto the surface… Come to think of it, today was Nerune's shift as waitress, wasn't it?

"Eh, ah, no! That's not it, Nerune-san!"

"What's not it～? Fufu～, you don't need to worry about me though～?"

"Are you mad? You're mad, aren't you!"

"Hero-sama～, do you like them big～?"

"No, that's not it!"

… Hm? What's with Nerune acting all jealous? When did you two get into that kind of relationship?

Then Nerune glanced away for a moment. Following her gaze, I saw Rei sporting a smug grin and a thumbs up.

I see, so slamming the cup on the table was Rei's idea. It was all an act.

"Oi, Wataru. You confessed to Rokuko and got rejected, and now you're making moves on our girl? You've got some nerve, oi."

"Eh, no, we just got a bit carried away talking about magic, I haven't done anything wrong yet…"

"… 'Yet'? So you're saying you were planning to later…? Excuse me, guest? I'm afraid this isn't that kind of inn, you know?"

"Th-th-th-that's not what I meant! I've just been talking about magic with Nerune-san!"

"Yes, there's nothing going on～. I'm only interested in the magic Hero-sama knows～. Nothing more, nothing less～."

Ah, those are Nerune's true feelings. As the Dungeon Master, I can vaguely tell, but that's genuinely what she thinks. This girl is seriously only interested in magic. She's not called an Apprentice Witch as her monster type for nothing.

And so, after all was said and done, it was decided that Wataru would bring some magic scrolls as a gift next time.

Well done. I gave Nerune a thumbs up in praise.