第１６０３堀：海の噂はどうですか？ (Part1)
Chapter 1603: How are the rumors about the sea?
Side: Aslin
Today was a school holiday, and with work finally settling down, I was looking forward to a relaxing day off. But then, my brother called for us, and we happily made our way to him.
"We're here, Brother."
"We have arrived."
"This is rare. Calling us out on a day off."
Yeah, just as Labyris-chan said, it really is unusual.
My brother is the type who absolutely refuses to work on his days off.
Eris-oneechan and Ratz-oneechan might look over documents occasionally, but unless there’s an emergency, my brother never works when he’s supposed to be resting.
"You really must take it easy sometimes," Shera-chan warned him.
My brother knows how to relax when it’s time to rest, but when an emergency strikes, he works literally without pause. We’re all constantly telling him to be careful about that.
"I know, I know. Anyway, I was thinking we could grab some lunch together, and while we eat, I have a few things I’d like to discuss that involve a bit of work."
"Lunch and work?"
"That’s strange. If it’s work, couldn't you just talk about it here?"
"True. With Prof and Rushi here, I don't see why it would be a problem?"
"Indeed. Is there some special circumstance?"
My brother is usually very good at separating these things; he rarely discusses work matters in shared public spaces like restaurants. The only exception is when he’s dining with the kings of other nations.
To our questions, my brother replied:
"That’s the tricky part. It’s about the port development. I want to hear what people around us are saying, and I’m also curious about the talk going around at school."
"The port? You mean the project Dressa-chan and the others are working so hard on?"
"Exactly. It is work, in a sense, but I’m curious how it’s being perceived within the town of Weed and at the school."
"Ah, I see now. If you want to hear those kinds of rumors, you won't find them at home."
Yeah, I finally understood why my brother wanted to go out. He wants to hear what everyone living in Weed is saying. So, whether it’s "work" or not is a bit ambiguous.
"I see. Well, come to think of it, while I did announce that we were building a port, I haven't really heard much about the public reaction. There hasn't been any major commotion, at least."
"Detailed information hasn't really been circulated yet, either. But there is talk that there might be recruitment opportunities related to the port town eventually, and even Shar-onesama asked me about it."
Mm-hmm. That’s only natural, considering we’re talking about building an entire town.
I also know that when we first enrolled in the International Exchange School—which also serves as a monitoring post—there were tons of inquiries from various countries beforehand. Given the scale of this new project, it’s obvious that everyone is curious.
"Ah, so the other nations are already interested, huh? In that case, I’m even more curious about the sentiment within Weed itself. So, shall we go grab some lunch?"
Since I understood why my brother wanted to go out, there was no reason to refuse.
"Yes! A fun lunch date it is."
"A date."
"I suppose so. It’s a date today. Though, I guess it’s technically Firia’s day, but that’s fine, right?"
"It is no problem. I intended to spend time getting along with Brother today. All of us together."
Exactly. As Firia-chan said, today is my brother’s day, so we planned to spend it together. If we didn't do things like this, we’d only get to hang out with him about once a month now.
Of course, there’s always time set aside to prioritize Firia-chan so she can have him all to herself, so there’s no need to worry. It’s rare for our days off to align like this. My brother has it tough in that regard, so he really does need to rest properly.
"I see. That’s good then. Well, let’s get going... though, where should we eat?"
"Hmm. I don't have anything specific in mind... but based on what you said, wouldn't something sushi-related be good?"
"That’s true. Since it’s about the port town, we’d be more likely to hear rumors in a place where those kinds of topics gather."
"I agree. That makes sense. Now, should we go for high-end, or the conveyor-belt style...?"
"I want to see the general public's reaction today, so let's go with the conveyor-belt place."
"Then let's head to the commercial district."
And so, we arrived at the restaurant row in the commercial district.
This is the most vibrant place for food in all of Weed. The scent of delicious meals wafted through the air from every direction.
"It’s as bustling as ever, even before noon. No, wait, there are more people than I thought."
"This is actually on the quieter side, Brother."
"Indeed. When I first came here for lunch, I was surprised that I couldn't get into any of the shops. Every single one had a wait time of nearly an hour."
Just as Prof-oneechan and Rushi-oneechan said, this crowd is actually quite tame. I’m sure my brother knows that, but...
"Oh, Brother, haven't you been here since school started?"
"Ah, I see. So that’s why the students and school staff are here too?"
"That is correct. Firia and Tori-onesama and the others have been acting as guides."
"Tori is police, right? They’re involved in this too?"
"Specifically, it’s part of the general international exchange program led by the police. It’s about learning the differences in our cultures."
"And naturally, food becomes a major topic of conversation there."
"I see. So that’s why they’ve taken a liking to it."
That’s exactly it. The students of the International Exchange School, as well as the staff, seem to have taken a liking to it, and now they’re walking around on their own, trying different foods and doing some shopping.
"Ratz-oneechan and Eris-oneechan say they’re happy to see more people coming and going, but it’s also been tough because their workload has increased."
"I bet. Not only are Tori and her team involved, but we’ve also had the Adventurer’s Guild cooperating to maintain public order. Like that, for instance."
My brother pointed toward someone walking by wearing a yellow armband.
That was an adventurer dispatched by the Adventurer’s Guild for public order patrols. Apparently, it’s surprisingly strict—you have to be someone with strong morals and decent combat ability to even qualify. There’s an exam, and you can only get the job if you pass. But the pay is good, and it’s a popular position. Since the police can’t be everywhere at once, it’s an incredibly important job.
"By the way, have you heard of any trouble around here?"
"When you say 'around here,' do you mean trouble at restaurants or shops due to cultural differences?"