TSRTOW Chapter 31.2 : It's difficult to get along with your neighbors
Translated by Shufen
Unedited. Sorry!
When I returned to the diner, the diner owner was preparing to open for dinner at night.
There’s no particular change while the diner owner husband and wife work silently together.
...However, the appearance looks strange somehow. It’s not clear why it’s strange. However, the atmosphere is heavy with invisible discomfort.
“I’m back. What’s going on?” (Haruka)
I secretly asked Sena-san who was working some distance away. Sena-san nodded with a smile.
“The atmosphere in the store is obviously dark, isn’t it? I think after we opened the diner, the diner owner and wife were in good shape. Then we receive bad news from the royal palace.” (Sena)
“Bad news from the royal palace?” (Haruka)
My heart jumped.
Whenever we talk about the royal palace, I can’t help but think that something might have caused trouble for me.
“For a while, there were soldiers who harassed us, right?” (Sena)
It’s a series of events that ended up as a big case for Sena-san.
“After that, I didn’t sue them at the royal palace. Apparently it became a problem at the royal palace. It seems like the royal court wants to confirm the situation.” (Sena)
So that’s it.
But isn’t that good news?
When I tilt my head with that thought, Sena-san smiles and shakes her head.
“The bad guys confessed and said that the series of harassments were requested by someone.” (Sena)
“Eh?” (Haruka)
“In addition, the client was someone like us. A restaurant owner in the same town.” (Sena)
The harassment--was the work of a peer?
I was so upset that I couldn’t say a word.
I didn’t think there were people who could do that in this town. I thought everyone was all good people.
“There was even money exchanged between the restaurant and the soldiers. Today it was decided that both parties would be charged with crimes. We were victims so we got the news.” (Sena)
“That’s…” (Haruka)
According to Sena-san, the soldiers were asked to harass us by the owner of another restaurant. The harassment was at a level that didn’t harm anyone. The soldiers received a reward and began harassing us like they were told. The restaurant owner thinks that the atmosphere of our diner would become terrible so the customers would stay away. However, Sena-san’s flashy counterattack made the situation serious. The royal palace began an investigation which resulted in both the soldiers and restaurant owner to be arrested.
In response to the inquiry, the restaurant owner said he had them harass us because he was jealous. It was unreasonable and unjustified that only our diner is allowed to provide meals to the royal palace.
However, isn’t that a grudge?
After all, the business world is a first come, first serve basis. Just because you were late to it, you can’t expect to get anything out of it. Therefore they cause trouble with harassment caused by resentment.
Sena-san nodded while I took a breath.
The diner owners seemed depressed because they thought they needed to be considerate of others. The restaurants that are doing business near the royal palace formed a union together. Even though they were rivals, they weren’t strangers. It’s a little difficult to get permission from the royal palace for business without any prior consultation.
“The diner owner and wife are too goodhearted.” (Haruka)
“I don’t think we did anything wrong. But maybe there was a problem. It might be necessary to consider not causing any friction with others. I think it’s a good thing that we’re doing this right now. Since one restaurant thought of it, others might’ve of too. The results might not end the same.” (Sena)
“That may be… but… “ (Haruka)
“From now on, we have to think about our relationships with the neighbors. It’s not something we can do right away.” (Sena)
I nod slightly.
As the sun sets, the city begins to light up with magic tools.
Neither the house nor the store have many magic tools, so we have a small light.
It’s a somewhat mysterious and beautiful warm faint light.
There are other restaurants, including ours, that are open at night.
Light attracts the customers in.
I look out over the main street while seeing the customers off.
One shop over there has the same bright light as ours. Like ours, it’s a store that works with the royal palace as a main customer base. I’m not usually aware of those sorts of things but there are quite a few of those when I look out into the distance.
If you walk down the back street for a little while, you’ll enter the residential area for the wealthy people.
In this world, it is said to be normal for ordinary families to eat out. The price of the restaurants aren’t high and the quality of the food is good. It makes sense to think that it’s better to eat delicious cheap professionally made food than to spend time and effort at home cooking. Ordinary families might not even have a kitchen with the required magic tools.
If I think about it, there are quite a few restaurants in this town.
In that situation, it may be a special case to have only our diner do business in the royal palace. We were standing out but it might be difficult to stop delivering the bento.
I wish I could somehow ease the conflict with the other restaurants.
I look up at the night sky.
A starry sky that I’ve never seen in my original world.
It’s very beautiful, but the world is not all beautiful. It’s a night where I was reminded that it was important to deal with things in a tactful way.
・ ・ ・ ・
Translator's Note
Haruka is starting to really mature now. She's learning more about the new world she's in.
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