Otherworld Dagashi Shop Yahagi

As I was closing up shop after sending off the adventurers, Sanaga-san spoke to me.

[Ou, Yahagi, mind talking for a sec?]

[What is it?]

[Umm…… There’s something I’d like to consult with you. Ahh~~…… Sorry, but can you keep me company for a moment? I’m not gonna take up much of your time……]

Sanaga-san, looking awkward, avoids making eye contact with me.

Does he hate his life here in Luganda and want to go back to the Royal Capital?

If that’s the case, it would be troubling.

The only blacksmith here is Sanaga-san.

I can’t think of any other blacksmith who would come to this remote area.

Moreover, although he doesn’t talk much, Sanaga-san does his job well and doesn’t charge exorbitant prices.

He is well-liked by the adventurers.

I myself have great trust in Sanaga-san.

If he really feels dissatisfied in his current life, I have to talk this over with him.

[Well then, let’s sit on that rock over there and talk about it.]

The two of us sat down in the deserted dungeon entrance.

[Do you find something unpleasant here in Luganda?]

[That’s not it. I like living here.]

Hearing his words, my shoulders relaxed.

It seems that it wasn’t that he wanted to return to the Royal Capital.

[If that’s the case, what’s the matter?]

Even when I asked that, Sanaga-san just fidgets and doesn’t seem like he’d just bring up the topic.

[Is it perhaps, money problems?]

[No…… I fell in love with a woman.]

This time, my shoulders completely slumped.

However, if that’s the case, I have an idea who he’s talking about.

[Are you possibly talking about Mirai-san?]

[How did you know that!?]

[Anyone can tell by the way Sanaga-san has been behaving lately.]

[I see……]

Perhaps out of embarrassment or some other reason, Sanaga-san glared at the sky with an austere expression on his face.

[So, what are you going to do, Sanaga-san?] 𝑏𝘦𝘥𝑛𝘰𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝑐𝘰𝑚

[I don’t know.]

[Huh?]

[I’ve lived my whole life doing nothing but striking iron. Of course, I had those times when I fell in love back when I was young, but I found myself single and 52 years old.]

Ah, he was younger than I thought.

With his plump yet short he is, and along with his white hair, I thought he was 60 or so.

[Hey, Yahagi, if you fall in love with a woman, what do you do next? You were such a womanizer that you could lead that Curse Witch around as you pleased. Teach me how to make advances on women!]

Well, isn’t that just mean.

I’m not leading Michelle around as I pleased.

I’m always risking my life to catch her extremely heavy fastballs.

Sanaga-san doesn’t seem like he means any offense though.

[Let’s see…… With how straightforward Sanaga-san is, wouldn’t it be best if you avoid playing mind games?]

[By that, you mean?]

[Just straight out ask her on a date and propose a relationship with her.]

[I see…… As expected of a guy who has risen from peddler to lord.]

No, my advice isn’t that big of a deal.

[However, where can we go on a date? There’s only the dungeon here in Luganda.]

[How about going to the forest to gather medicinal herbs and mushrooms? This time of year, even the autumn flowers are in bloom. It seems that Mirai-san likes that sort of thing.]

[As expected of Yahagi. Each of your suggestions is completely reasonable.]

[I’m just thinking about how to get along with others.]

But then, Sanaga-san’s shoulders slumped again.

[What’s the matter?]

[I don’t know how to ask her out on a date……]

[Can’t you also just straightforwardly say “Let’s go pick herbs in the forest”?]

[D- Do you think Mirai will go with me?]

[I don’t know about that, but if Sanaga-san doesn’t move, nothing will start. You should first have the courage to ask her out.]

[Umu……]

Mirai-san is a widow who lost her husband to illness more than 10 years ago.

I once heard how she confided to Mira how lonely she was at times.

Sanaga-san is a taciturn person, but he works diligently and even has a kind heart.

I feel that if the two of them support each other in life, they will be much happier than they are now.

[I think Mirai-san and Sanaga-san are a good match for each other.]

[I see. Alright……]

Seemingly having made up his mind, Sanaga-san slapped his knees and stood up.

A few days later, without my knowledge, Sanaga-san was able to invite Mirai-san to pick medicinal herbs.

I saw them both carrying baskets into the forest, with Mirai-san having a nice smile on her face.

Given the way she looks, I secretly hope things might work out with them.

I waited excitedly for them to return in the evening.

However, the expressions on their faces when they returned were complicated.

Did something happen?

I decided to indirectly inquire about the situation.

[You went to the forest, didn’t you? Oh, it looks like you’ve gathered plenty of herbs.]

In the basket they were carrying, there were not only medicinal herbs, but also flowers and mushrooms.

[Umu……]

Despite their harvest, they don’t look very cheerful.

I was starting to think that their date was a failure, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

[Did something happen, Mirai-san?]

[About that, well, we found an old small shrine in the forest.]

[When you say small shrine, you mean a small building that enshrines a God?]

[Yes. A really old small shrine thoroughly covered in moss. It was made of stone, and looked so old that I don’t even know how long it has been there.]

That’s quite the unusual thing they found there, but that doesn’t really explain the worried expressions on their faces.

[Did you sense something ominous about that small shrine?]

[That’s not it. Actually, there was this skinny old man sitting alone in front of that small shrine.]

[Eh? In the middle of Luganda Forest?]

[That’s right.]

I didn’t hear anything about natives living here.

Well, since it’s in the middle of a forest like this, I guess it wouldn’t be surprising if there’s at least a village that is not known by the government to exist.

However, that old man was apparently all by himself.

[I wonder if he lives alone in this forest? He must be quite the spry old man.]

[He didn’t seem dangerous, but he was a little strange……]

Mirai-san paused, seemingly hesitating to say something.

[How is he strange?]

[He called himself a God.]

That’s not just a little strange, that definitely sounds very strange.

I was curious, so Michelle and I decided to go see that old man.