Just as he had declared, Yamami went around to various stores.
He stopped at parts stores and computer stores, checking specs and entering floors and areas Koji had never been to before.
“…Do you come here often?”
He was only able to ask this question after they came to a small shop that sold card games.
“My job keeps me too busy for that. But then again, there has been so much recently, that I need a distraction.”
“Oh?”
Yamami scanned the cards in the cases. Then he noted down the details of one, in order to purchase it.
“So you place card games too.”
“I play every kind of game. This is to show a friend.”
The thick finger pointed to the dragon on the card.
“‘There is a picture that looks just like you’, I said. And so he wanted to see it.”
“That’s mean. He’ll probably get angry.”
“Perhaps. But he is very proud, and probably thinks that he looks more intelligent and noble.”
Yamami chuckled happily as he purchased it.
“Well, it is almost time for lunch. Is there anything you want to get?”
“Not really.”
“We could get ramen.”
“No, I already ate that last night. Besides, it’s expensive in Akihabara.”
“I see. Alright, let’s go somewhere else then.”
With his new prized possessions, Yamami retraced his steps and headed back to the station.
“Where are you going?”
“To my home ground.”
They got onto the train, and then Yamami began to stare at his phone.
“Hey… Who the hell are you?”
Koji glanced at the screen. The man appeared to be checking his email.
“…Who do you think I am?”
“Me?”
“How do I appear to you?”
Koji had never been good at sensing things about others. He had no special intuition.
All he saw was a fat old man.
“Just an old man.”
“Heh. Wonderful.”
Yamami tapped his screen and then walked over to the door.
Koji followed him out and onto the platform. And then he checked the station name.
“Suidobashi… I’ve never been here before.”
“Well, let’s go then.”
They walked down the long platform and to the ticket gate.
Outside of the station, there was a sidewalk under a bridge. Yamami pointed to the left.
“If you go that way, there is an amusement park and baseball stadium.”
“Oh!? Really! It’s so close.”
“And we are going in the opposite direction.”
He pointed to the right.
“Away from the families and couples. No, w e are going to a town full of books so old they are the color of soy sauce.”
He said happily as he walked on light feet.
“Is that why it’s your home ground?”
“Indeed. I like books more than anything. And so I always stop by while I am here.”
Thanks to the trees planted on the sidewalk, there was plenty of shade. As they continued on, more and more book stores appeared amongst the restaurants and convenience stores.
“Originally, this was a place where university students came to buy books. Apparently, you will not find an old book district like this in any other place in the world.”
“Huh…”
Yamami then found a store with white curtains and a glass door, and he stepped inside.
“He-hey!?”
“We came here to eat, didn’t we? It’s on me. Get whatever you want.”
Inside, he felt the heat from boiling oil. There was a white wood counter where people silently ate tonkatsu.
“I’ll have the lunch set.”
“Uh…me too.”
When the food arrived, Yamami picked up the chopstick and started to eat.
“…So, about the conditions?”
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“I am, but…”
Koji took a sip of the clam soup, which was a little too hot.
“You called me because you want to know about that game, right?”
“Yes. Also, I was interested in you.”
“…In me?”
“The truth is, this is my first time speaking to a Hero from another world.”
For a second, Koji wasn’t sure of what he meant, and he put down his chopsticks.
“…Then, how did you find out about me?”
“What do you think?”
“Stop dodging the question!”
He said roughly, and all eyes turned towards him. With an exaggerated gesture, Yamami placed his hand on Koji’s shoulder.
“In any case, eat up. You cannot fight on an empty stomach. You learned that on the mountain, didn’t you?”
“…Yes.”
Koji took a bite of the meat with ample sauce.
“Now that I think about it, the meat the kobold was eating. It was venison.”
“Huh?”
“A very fat stag. If only you had taken it, things might have ended differently.”
His stomach tightened and a chill ran down his spine.
Last night, he had just written that he had no idea what kind of meat it was.
“Hey… Can I ask you something?”
“What?”
“Were there…spectators for the game?”
Yamami took a sip of his tea. His plate was already empty.
“Participating in the games comes with all kinds of risks. The biggest of all is the loss of territories and faith. Also, losers must remain as black statues for a very long time.”
He had heard about that before.
Koji glared at the man angrily.
“Let’s go. It’s the rule here that you must leave as soon as you are finished eating.”
Yamami said in a calm voice. He then picked up his things and left the restaurant. Apparently, he had already paid.
“…What are you?”
The sun seemed quite blinding as he managed to say the words.
“What do you think?”
“You…”
For some reason, his throat did not work.
It was just a simple question.
He had been nervous when being called by Zephalis, but it was not like this.
Things did not feel real.
“Are you…a god?”
“Indeed.”
He straightened his back and his expression became serious. And then those thick lips spoke the truth.
“I alm Elm Oud. The Seer of Worlds. And I very much enjoyed seeing you fight, Hero of Zephalis.”
He was shaking. And he felt so tired. Koji looked at the god with disbelief.
“Let’s walk.”
There was nothing divine about the form who walked in front of him.
With a vague consciousness, as if wading through lukewarm water, Koji followed after him.
Bonus chapter courtesy of Photo. Thank you so much for the birthday gift!
You’re welcome, I hope you had a great day and sorry that it was late.
And thank you for translating the chapter ^_^