'Hostess?'
Mizuto couldn't help but think so as the woman wore a gorgeous dress and styled her hair carefully.
In this country, if a woman wanted to live well and get a lot of money, their only way was to work in the night industry. Still, the night industry didn't mean prostitution or women had to sell their bodies. Instead, they could choose a job known as a "hostess," a female companion for drinking.
In another country, this job might be frowned upon, but in this country, strangely, it was respected.
Mizuto wasn't sure of the reason, though.
Was it a tradition?
Nevertheless, the amount of money that one could get from this job was enormous, and it was much safer than selling one's body as there was no need for them to be afraid of being caught by strange diseases.
Mizuto thought that this young woman had such a job, considering her attire and all, and she should be on her way home, but well, he didn't have any prejudice against anyone who worked on this job as he knew that living in this country was hard.
Unless they wanted to work for the company, where they might be sexually harassed, worked until so late, or spent their day from morning to night on the job with a small income, then this was the only way for them to live.
By using their charm, deceiving those lustful men, and getting all of their money.
Or, maybe they just wanted to give a momentary happiness to those men who had been working hard.
Nevertheless, what this woman did was nothing to him as they were strangers.
Still, as Mizuto thought about this woman's job, the woman also stared at him in a daze as it was her first time to see someone so handsome. Naturally, he recovered first, then asked, "I am looking for an Ichiban Boshi restaurant." Nevertheless, he had to say this woman was beautiful.
She has large light brown eyes and visible upper lashes. She also sports violet hair that extends to her shoulders in waves with bangs parted in the middle, which she styles beautifully.
If Mizuto had to be brutally honest, she was the most beautiful woman that he had seen in Osaka.
Hearing his answer, the young woman was surprised and then asked in doubt. "You are not a local here, right? I have never seen you around here."
"...is that a problem?" Mizuto felt confused as to why this woman suddenly asked whether he was a local or not.
"Of course! That restaurant is the most delicious okonomiyaki restaurant in Osaka! Only the locals know! We even asked the owner not to promote it on the internet and even rejected all of those television program interviews or pushed all internet food celebrities to be away, so the restaurant won't be packed and can only be eaten by the locals!"
"....."
Mizuto fell in silence since this woman suddenly got excited.
Was the food of this restaurant so delicious that it made all the locals so aggressive?
Was this restaurant really selling food instead of drugs?
"How did you know about this restaurant?" The woman asked suspiciously.
Why did it feel like he was a criminal for knowing this restaurant?
Nevertheless, he answered her question. "...friend."
The woman somehow scratched her hair and then let out a helpless sigh. "I know that you must be coming from far away, but you might be killed by the locals if you go there alone."
"...it isn't so serious, right?
Mizuto felt that this woman tried to exaggerate a small thing.
"Geez... this is why you, who isn't a local, is..." The woman sighed, then said, "It can't be helped. I will guide you there. If I am there, you will be safe."
"...."
Mizuto wondered whether this was a new way to pick up as he had been picked up by so many women earlier. Many of them had a variety of tricks, yet it was his first time to see this type of trick, or... was it his misunderstanding?
Either way, he didn't think this woman would harm him, or even if she tried to, he didn't think she could, considering his power and all. "Thank you."
"No problem." The woman shook her head and said, "Come on. Follow me."
"I will treat you later."
"Eh? Is that okay?" The woman was surprised.
"Well, just think of this as my thanks for protecting me."
Hearing his words, she laughed and asked, "Where did you come from? Tokyo?" Considering how good-looking he was and how polite his language was, she thought that he came from Tokyo.
"No, I am from Kyoto."
"Huh? Really? Why didn't you use a dialect?" The woman was more surprised than he had thought. Yet, this was also normal since those who weren't locals believed that every person who lived in Kyoto would talk in the Kyoto dialect, but that wasn't the truth as there were many who used a standard Japanese language in Kyoto.
Whether it was him or Yume, they rarely used a Kyoto dialect, which was different from their acquaintances, but using the standard Japanese language, which was more comfortable.
Still, to answer her question, he asked, "Do all Osaka people use the Osaka dialect?"
"...if you say it that way... not all Osaka seems to use a dialect..." The woman was shocked, then nodded, realizing that not every Osaka person would talk in dialect.
"Are you on your way home after work?" Mizuto asked curiously, and he had to say this woman was so expressive.
"No, I am not on my way home, and I am not working yet as I am still a high school student."
When she said those words, her eyes were dead and helpless.
"...sorry."
Was this woman a high school student?
Mizuto was speechless, but he also knew that some people seemed older than they appeared to be.
"It's okay. I haven't gotten used to being mistaken as I am older than I appear to be." The woman shook her head, telling him not to worry. Still, she was also curious about him, so she asked, "How about you? Are you on a business trip or something?"
"No, like you, I am also a high school student. I am on a trip here." Mizuto didn't think that it was necessary to tell that he was working for this high school girl who appeared older than her actual age.
Still, he wondered whether this was her way of paying back for his comment that she appeared older.
"Huh? Really? Are you also a high school student?"
"Yes."
"What grade?"
"...1st year." Mizuto felt like he was facing a delinquent somehow.
"We're the same!"
Somehow, he could see this girl was so happy for some reason. Was she so happy that she found someone the same age yet appeared older than their actual age?
How innocent.
"My name is Mizuto Irido. What's yours?"
"Yoshino Somei. Nice to meet you."
Like most Osakas, Yoshino was proactive and talkative.
Mizuto also talked with her about many things and fixed her misunderstanding about people in Kyoto; rather, she seemed to ask him whether he knew someone.
"Do you know Akashigata Tsubaki?"
"Akashigata Tsubaki?" Mizuto knew someone with an "Akashigata" surname (the beautiful housewife in his neighborhood), but he didn't know anyone by the name of Akashigata Tsubaki. While he had to admit the "Akashigata" surname might be rare, it didn't mean there was only a single family who had such a surname. "No, I don't know. Is this person your friend?"
"No, she is... my cousin."
Watching her troubled expression, Mizuto decided to change the topic. "...is that the restaurant?" While he had said that he wanted to change the topic, the appearance of the restaurant that sold the most delicious okonomiyaki troubled him as it was like a shady establishment instead of a restaurant.
"Yeah." Yoshino nodded quickly after she fixed her mood. "Let's go, Mizuto!" Somehow, she pulled his hand and led him into the restaurant.
Mizuto was helpless and even in doubt as he saw the run-down restaurant in front of him. Watching Yoshino, he started to wonder whether this was a scam where he was led into some establishment and asked to order food and drink before he was charged a costly bill, which led him into a debt where he was forced to do something he didn't want to.
Still, he decided to trust Yoshino more, especially after they had talked for quite a while.
Moreover, he didn't fear anything, especially when he had bought many weapons, even an AK-47, from the "Store" skill, which he kept in his inventory. If the situation was called, he just needed to take the weapons out. Still, even if he didn't use a firearm, he could use the "Brainwash" skill, though.
Lastly, he had to say once again that the girls of Osaka were too proactive, right?
After all, it had only been a while since they met, yet she started to call him by his given name.
"Obaa-chan! I am here!"
"Oh? Yoshino-chan?"
The normal old lady didn't seem surprised to see Yoshino, but she was dumbfounded when she saw Mizuto.
Or rather, not only the old lady but all the people who stayed in the restaurant were dumbfounded when they saw Yoshino come with Mizuto.
Yet, Mizuto was confused.
What was happening?
He, who knew nothing, wondered what was happening and this strange tension.
He looked at Yoshino and wondered about this girl's identity.
'Hostess?'
Mizuto couldn't help but think so as the woman wore a gorgeous dress and styled her hair carefully.
In this country, if a woman wanted to live well and get a lot of money, their only way was to work in the night industry. Still, the night industry didn't mean prostitution or women had to sell their bodies. Instead, they could choose a job known as a "hostess," a female companion for drinking.
In another country, this job might be frowned upon, but in this country, strangely, it was respected.
Mizuto wasn't sure of the reason, though.
Was it a tradition?
Nevertheless, the amount of money that one could get from this job was enormous, and it was much safer than selling one's body as there was no need for them to be afraid of being caught by strange diseases.
Mizuto thought that this young woman had such a job, considering her attire and all, and she should be on her way home, but well, he didn't have any prejudice against anyone who worked on this job as he knew that living in this country was hard.
Unless they wanted to work for the company, where they might be sexually harassed, worked until so late, or spent their day from morning to night on the job with a small income, then this was the only way for them to live.
By using their charm, deceiving those lustful men, and getting all of their money.
Or, maybe they just wanted to give a momentary happiness to those men who had been working hard.
Nevertheless, what this woman did was nothing to him as they were strangers.
Still, as Mizuto thought about this woman's job, the woman also stared at him in a daze as it was her first time to see someone so handsome. Naturally, he recovered first, then asked, "I am looking for an Ichiban Boshi restaurant." Nevertheless, he had to say this woman was beautiful.
She has large light brown eyes and visible upper lashes. She also sports violet hair that extends to her shoulders in waves with bangs parted in the middle, which she styles beautifully.
If Mizuto had to be brutally honest, she was the most beautiful woman that he had seen in Osaka.
Hearing his answer, the young woman was surprised and then asked in doubt. "You are not a local here, right? I have never seen you around here."
"...is that a problem?" Mizuto felt confused as to why this woman suddenly asked whether he was a local or not.
"Of course! That restaurant is the most delicious okonomiyaki restaurant in Osaka! Only the locals know! We even asked the owner not to promote it on the internet and even rejected all of those television program interviews or pushed all internet food celebrities to be away, so the restaurant won't be packed and can only be eaten by the locals!"
"....."
Mizuto fell in silence since this woman suddenly got excited.
Was the food of this restaurant so delicious that it made all the locals so aggressive?
Was this restaurant really selling food instead of drugs?
"How did you know about this restaurant?" The woman asked suspiciously.
Why did it feel like he was a criminal for knowing this restaurant?
Nevertheless, he answered her question. "...friend."
The woman somehow scratched her hair and then let out a helpless sigh. "I know that you must be coming from far away, but you might be killed by the locals if you go there alone."
"...it isn't so serious, right?
Mizuto felt that this woman tried to exaggerate a small thing.
"Geez... this is why you, who isn't a local, is..." The woman sighed, then said, "It can't be helped. I will guide you there. If I am there, you will be safe."
"...."
Mizuto wondered whether this was a new way to pick up as he had been picked up by so many women earlier. Many of them had a variety of tricks, yet it was his first time to see this type of trick, or... was it his misunderstanding?
Either way, he didn't think this woman would harm him, or even if she tried to, he didn't think she could, considering his power and all. "Thank you."
"No problem." The woman shook her head and said, "Come on. Follow me."
"I will treat you later."
"Eh? Is that okay?" The woman was surprised.
"Well, just think of this as my thanks for protecting me."
Hearing his words, she laughed and asked, "Where did you come from? Tokyo?" Considering how good-looking he was and how polite his language was, she thought that he came from Tokyo.
"No, I am from Kyoto."
"Huh? Really? Why didn't you use a dialect?" The woman was more surprised than he had thought. Yet, this was also normal since those who weren't locals believed that every person who lived in Kyoto would talk in the Kyoto dialect, but that wasn't the truth as there were many who used a standard Japanese language in Kyoto.
Whether it was him or Yume, they rarely used a Kyoto dialect, which was different from their acquaintances, but using the standard Japanese language, which was more comfortable.
Still, to answer her question, he asked, "Do all Osaka people use the Osaka dialect?"
"...if you say it that way... not all Osaka seems to use a dialect..." The woman was shocked, then nodded, realizing that not every Osaka person would talk in dialect.
"Are you on your way home after work?" Mizuto asked curiously, and he had to say this woman was so expressive.
"No, I am not on my way home, and I am not working yet as I am still a high school student."
When she said those words, her eyes were dead and helpless.
"...sorry."
Was this woman a high school student?
Mizuto was speechless, but he also knew that some people seemed older than they appeared to be.
"It's okay. I haven't gotten used to being mistaken as I am older than I appear to be." The woman shook her head, telling him not to worry. Still, she was also curious about him, so she asked, "How about you? Are you on a business trip or something?"
"No, like you, I am also a high school student. I am on a trip here." Mizuto didn't think that it was necessary to tell that he was working for this high school girl who appeared older than her actual age.
Still, he wondered whether this was her way of paying back for his comment that she appeared older.
"Huh? Really? Are you also a high school student?"
"Yes."
"What grade?"
"...1st year." Mizuto felt like he was facing a delinquent somehow.
"We're the same!"
Somehow, he could see this girl was so happy for some reason. Was she so happy that she found someone the same age yet appeared older than their actual age?
How innocent.
"My name is Mizuto Irido. What's yours?"
"Yoshino Somei. Nice to meet you."
Like most Osakas, Yoshino was proactive and talkative.
Mizuto also talked with her about many things and fixed her misunderstanding about people in Kyoto; rather, she seemed to ask him whether he knew someone.
"Do you know Akashigata Tsubaki?"
"Akashigata Tsubaki?" Mizuto knew someone with an "Akashigata" surname (the beautiful housewife in his neighborhood), but he didn't know anyone by the name of Akashigata Tsubaki. While he had to admit the "Akashigata" surname might be rare, it didn't mean there was only a single family who had such a surname. "No, I don't know. Is this person your friend?"
"No, she is... my cousin."
Watching her troubled expression, Mizuto decided to change the topic. "...is that the restaurant?" While he had said that he wanted to change the topic, the appearance of the restaurant that sold the most delicious okonomiyaki troubled him as it was like a shady establishment instead of a restaurant.
"Yeah." Yoshino nodded quickly after she fixed her mood. "Let's go, Mizuto!" Somehow, she pulled his hand and led him into the restaurant.
Mizuto was helpless and even in doubt as he saw the run-down restaurant in front of him. Watching Yoshino, he started to wonder whether this was a scam where he was led into some establishment and asked to order food and drink before he was charged a costly bill, which led him into a debt where he was forced to do something he didn't want to.
Still, he decided to trust Yoshino more, especially after they had talked for quite a while.
Moreover, he didn't fear anything, especially when he had bought many weapons, even an AK-47, from the "Store" skill, which he kept in his inventory. If the situation was called, he just needed to take the weapons out. Still, even if he didn't use a firearm, he could use the "Brainwash" skill, though.
Lastly, he had to say once again that the girls of Osaka were too proactive, right?
After all, it had only been a while since they met, yet she started to call him by his given name.
"Obaa-chan! I am here!"
"Oh? Yoshino-chan?"
The normal old lady didn't seem surprised to see Yoshino, but she was dumbfounded when she saw Mizuto.
Or rather, not only the old lady but all the people who stayed in the restaurant were dumbfounded when they saw Yoshino come with Mizuto.
Yet, Mizuto was confused.
What was happening?
He, who knew nothing, wondered what was happening and this strange tension.
He looked at Yoshino and wondered about this girl's identity.
