Chapter - 7

Going through the commercial strip in a straight line, the first thing one would see upon leaving it was the shop Moroboshi recommended. A red noren reading "Ichiban Boshi" hung over the entrance of the two-story residential building, its dark wooden walls giving it a dignified feel. It had most probably been built before their time, even before their parents' time.

"This place's architecture has some amazing style."

"Nahaha. You mean it's fallin' apart, don't you? It's okay to say what you mean. But it can't be helped, since this store's been here since the Taisho era—though apparently back then it was a sukiyaki place."

"I like the old look of the building, though. It's so nostalgic, isn't that great?"

"Wait, Alice, aren't you a foreigner?"

"I have Japanese blood… I think. Probably! …Oh my, what's that?"

Arisuin had fixed his eyes at a certain part of the building. Wondering what he had seen, Ikki followed his friend's gaze. A nameplate and a rusted postbox at the side of the entrance came into view, and on that nameplate were the words—Moroboshi.

"Eh, 'Moroboshi'? …Then, is this by any chance your place, Moroboshi-san?"

The expression on Moroboshi's face told them he was caught.

"Aaaah. Looks like I was found out. I was gonna keep it secret and then give you all a surprise after going in, but oh well. Aye, this is my place."

Arisuin's eyes widening in surprise.

"So that means you were just bringing customers to your own shop? You're pretty shrewd."

Moroboshi passed the veiled accusation over with a laugh.

"Nahaha. Well, of course. I am a merchant of Naniwa, after all."

Indeed, he was a strong example of the oft-spoken mercantile spirit.

"Don't worry, though, I meant it when I said that my place has the best okonomiyaki around! Ain't no way I'd let guests from so far away eat something that isn't tasty. You get to eat good okonomiyaki, our store earns some money—you're happy, we're happy. Ain't that great? Ain't that the best?"

Shizuki said with a questioning look.

"That ending was really shady, and everything fits together too unbelievably well. Is it really okay to trust this person? Wouldn't it be better to go find some other place right now?"

Ikki could understand her feelings.

"But we don't really know this city, so why not?"

"Well, if you're alright with it, Onii-sama, then I have no objections."

"Well then, let's go in. I can smell something delicious from out here, and it's making me hungry already!"

"So it's decided, eh?"

Having come to unanimous agreement, the four passed the threshold of the noren, and with a little difficulty pushed the old, rickety sliding door open.

"Oh-"

"Wow…."

Immediately, their noses were assaulted by the wafting aroma of sauces, their appetites titillated by a fragrance many times stronger than what they had experienced outside.

"This smells great…."

Even Shizuku, who did not take a particular interest in food, could only say this.

"That's true. Also, this place seems quite popular."

Even though it was early for dinner, just as Arisuin had said, the turnout was impressive. Nearly every table was filled, and all around them calls and orders were being shouted. Leaving aside whether this was indeed Osaka's best, it was almost certain from the number of customers alone that the food could not possibly be bad.

"Heyyy, Moooom!"

Moroboshi yelled over the din just as their attention had been captured by the sights and smells of the restaurant. A middle-aged lady flipping a large number of okonomiyaki raised her head and turned, giving him a sharp look through widening eyes.

"Eh, why are you 'ere? Din'cha say you'd be at the hotel till the tourney was over?"

"I dropped by to see ma beloved mom's face."

"Bullshit! Don't kid around, you're givin' me goosebumps!"

"Did'ja have to say it like that? How am I supposed to be filial towards this kind o' mother?"

"I'm never gonna retire anyway, so I don't need no brat to wipe my ass!"

"Oi, this is a restaraunt. Don't be sayin' that kind of stuff!"

"Eh, shitty brats will be shitty brats, ain't it so, everyone?"

The customers laughed uproariously at their back-and-forth. Unadorned and unpretentious was the atmosphere of Osaka's downtown.

"Alright, what did'ja really come here for?"

Moroboshi jerked his thumb behind him to indicate Ikki and the others.

"I was bringin' some Tokyo-ites I met at the hotel around. Since they're out here, I was gonna let them eat the best okonomiyaki in Osaka!"

"Oh, so that's how it is."

It seemed that she had understood the gist of it, despite their conversation's brevity. Stopping what she was doing, her face still glistening with sweat, she gave them a warm smile.

"Welcome. I'm Yuudai's mother. Thank you for having come all this way."

"Ah, thank you, you're too kind."

"Now, I don't know if we's the best in Osaka, but I will give it m'all, so please wait expectantly."

"Right, we're looking forward to it."

"But it sure is crowded today. Are there any seats left?"

"There's just one. You can sit there. Koume~show these guests to their table."

Moroboshi's mother called from behind the kitchen. In response to that, a young girl dressed in Japanese-style clothing and an apron approached Ikki and company. She looked a little young to be staff at a restaurant, and her bob-cut made her look like a middle-schooler.

"Ara, what a cute little one. Is she by any chance your sister?"

"Aye. That's my sister Koume. Unlike me, though, she isn't a Blazer."

She looked neither like her mother nor like Moroboshi—perhaps she had gotten her looks from her father.

"Koume, show the guests to the table in that corner."

Koume nodded, and moved ahead of them. Then her gaze met Ikki's, and her eyes widened, her expression changing to one of surprise and bewilderment.

Hmm?

Moroboshi was quick to follow up even as Ikki began falling to thought.

"Looks like she's surprised to see my opponent tomorrow come here."

"Ah, I see."

Her surprise passed in only an instant, as she schooled her expression back into a welcoming smile. Impressive, as expected of a merchant house's daughter. Koume bowed elegantly, and then from the depths of her kimono's sleeve she retrieved a sketchbook.

She then flipped to a page that read, in rather cute lettering, [Welcome~!], showing it to Ikki and the others.

"Eh…?"

The three of them could not help but express their surprise at this unexpected development. After all, there weren't many among service staff who would communicate through writing instead of speech. Again, seemingly anticipating this response, Moroboshi stepped in just in time.

"Don't worry about it, it's just that she can't speak."

Ikki nodded in understanding.

"Ah, so she writes instead…."

"That's right. But it's not a physical problem—apparently it's a psychological one."

Moroboshi said this brightly, as though to assure him that it was not a big issue.

「I'm more ladylike this way.」

Mischief was apparent in Koume's writing.

"Oh, that's rich, you unruly lass."

So saying, Moroboshi reached down to ruffle her hair, at which she only looked pleased. Ikki had been concerned at first to hear that she could not speak, but seeing them enjoy their exchanges he naturally began to smile.

"You two get along well."

"Well, she is my one and only cute little sister."

At that, Ikki suddenly felt a tap on his back. Turning, he saw Shizuku, who said only these inexplicable words.

"I'm also a 'one and only cute little sister'."

Um, what am I supposed to do now?

Neither comprehending her intent nor knowing what else to do, Ikki began to imitate Moroboshi.

"Uuu…"

His sister's response was a contradiction; she seemed to itch, yet seemed happy about the touch that caused it-was she trying to outdo the Moroboshi siblings? His sister's line of thought sure was hard to grasp.

"I wonder what's up, though."

Moroboshi mused as he looked at the state of the diner.

"It's pretty crowded in here, and we came early, too."

Koume scribbled rapidly on her sketchbook, explaining the situation in brief.

「These are all people who have come here in order to see the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. Most of them are fresh faces.」

Seeing this, Moroboshi came to a decision.

"Huh, so it is… hmm. Then it might be better if I joined. Sorry for only bringing you all here, but it looks pretty busy, so I gotta go help my mom out."

"You're not going to eat with us?"

"That was my intention, but there's quite a lot of people here, so…."

It was as he said—even though the restaurant was by no means small, there were almost no seats left unfilled. White smoke rose from corner to corner in the kitchen, its iron griddles in full operation. Even a bystander could see that this was a busy time.

"Understood. We'll be fine, go help out your family."

Ikki was a little disappointed that he would not be able to speak to Moroboshi, but making him accompany them would also make him feel bad.

Moroboshi bowed.

"Sorry… and I brought you all here too. It's my treat today. If you want anything, just give Koume your order, and it'll be on me."

"Eh, weren't you trying to reel us in?"

Seeing Shizuku so surprised, Moroboshi gave a grin like that cat that got the cream.

"It was all a joke—we Kansai people don't mean what we say if we say it while smilin'."

So he had always intended to treat them to a meal—they'd been had by him up till now. Nonetheless—

"That's no good, we can pay for ourselves."

They had barely known him for a day, it would be mean to ask someone they had only just met to pay for the meal. Thus, Ikki meant to decline.

"It's fine. It's not that expensive 'nyways."

"But, still—"

"I said it's fine. I'm a third year, an upperclassman. Y'all should just listen to your elder, y'hear?"

…In the end, he made them accept. Yuudai Moroboshi was just that forceful a person.

"Well Koume, the rest is up to you."

Satisfied at his sister's nod that Ikki and company would be attended to, he tightened his bandana and headed for the kitchen. After seeing her brother off, Koume once again flipped the pages of her sketchbook.

「Allow me to show you to your seats~」

It seemed like a server's commonly used lines were already pre-written, they thought as they followed her to their seats.

「Please sit here~」

"Thank you."

Pleasantries exchanged, they sat down and began to order as they wished. These were all recorded down in Koume's sketchbook, and after a check to make sure she had them correct, were taken with her into the kitchen. All that was left to do after she left was to relax and wait for the menu to arrive.

But just then, they overheard this conversation going on from behind them.

"Whaaat. So Kiriko-san isn't going out with Moroboshi?"

"That's what I've been telling you, no? In the first place, he isn't even my type at all."

It was the voices of two women, and one of them was a voice Ikki had heard just the previous day. Exchanging a unspoken 'could it be?' with Shizuku and Arisuin, they turned around—

"Eh?"

"Ah!"

"My my."

—only to find that occupants of the other table had noticed their presence in turn. Looks were exchanged all around from five different people.

"Yakushi-san!"

And as he had anticipated, it was the 'White-Robed Knight' Kiriko Yakushi and Bukyoku Academy Newspaper Club's Yagokoro, whom they had met before at the training camp.

It was an unexpected reunion in an unexpected place. If they had met at the hotel restaurant, such a meeting might have been passed over, but to meet a fellow Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival representative in the same eatery when the center of Osaka had them by the numbers was quite a remarkable coincidence—or so Ikki had thought, until further conversation proved otherwise.

"Eh, so you were the one who treated Moroboshi-san when he was seriously injured, Yakushi-san?"

"Yes. It's quite the coincidence, no?"

She was here more to meet Moroboshi than to have okonomiyaki, it seemed.

"Well, it is unexpected, but in the first place, you are the same age as him, right? Was it really okay to treat him without a medical license?"

"He's fine, so it's fine, right?"

Is that really the problem…?

Ikki definitely didn't think that was the issue at all, but prying seemed akin to kicking a hornet nest.

"So you've just come to check up on an old patient, Yakushi-san?"

Thus, he did not pursue, but rather asked after her reason for being here today.

"It's less of a check-up, and more of a house call."

"Eh—"

Hearing the words "house call", Ikki was seized by unease, and he asked in concern.

"Is Moroboshi-san not yet fully healed?"

Kiriko shook her head and assured him.

"Ah, he's fine. I patched him up properly. However, it was a little reckless, so this is my way of conducting individualized aftercare. After all, I shouldn't be taking any risks with my patients, should I?"

"Ah. So in other words, you're here out of your own goodwill."

"Yes, that's it."

"That's great to hear."

Ikki felt a weight lift off his chest at her dismissal of his fears.

It would be too much of a pity if he were to do battle with the Seven Stars Sword King, only for the latter to fall because of some past injuries.

"So I wanted to come over to the hotel room to conduct the aftercare, but he wasn't in. I heard from Jougasaki that he'd gone back to his home, so I hailed a taxi and came here. It seems I got here early, too early in fact, which was my mistake—Ms. Paparazzi here got all suspicious as a result."

So saying, Kiriko shot a look Yagokoro's way.

"Haha, somehow, it feels like you had quite the disaster on your hands."

"Really."

"Aw, c'mon! You were hoverin' round his place like that although he was s'pposed to be all healed up already. It totally had th' look of a patient-doctor romance! Y'know, there was the smell of gossip all around it—like surströmming! Y' couldn't have made me any more suspicious!"

"That's rich. Just look at the guy, he has eyes like a beast. Totally not my type. I prefer boys with sweet faces like Kurogane-kun over here."

"Whaaat—!?"

Ikki yelped, caught off guard by the outrageous comparison.

"Haha~♡."

Kiriko purred, as if sensing Ikki's inexperience in this regard.

"If you like, your big sister here can give you a pre-match checkup after this, with lots of… extra service. How about it?"

White-Robed Knight ・ Kiriko Hakushi

Haha~♡

Hey, if you like, your big sister here can give you a pre-match checkup after this, with lots of… extra service. How about it?

So saying, she gave him a heated look, while positioning herself such that he had an unobstructed view of her cleavage through the open top of her white doctor's gown. It had quite some impact—while she was no match for Stella in terms of proportions, she possessed the charm of a mature lady, and that aided her case greatly in her assault on Ikki's eyes.

Anyway, what on earth is a medical check-up with 'extra service'!?

In any case, he would likely come up positive for high blood pressure.

Shizuku as she moved from Arisuin's side to shield her beleaguered brother.

"I'm sorry, but as far as vulgar women go, Stella-san is enough."

"Couldn't you have put it a little better?"

Inwardly, Ikki heaved a sigh of relief knowing that Stella was not here.

Yagokoro spoke up, addressing Arisuin.

"So, Moroboshi brought you guys here?"

"Well, that was sharp of you."

"I knew it."

Arisuin, having no reason to, had made no move to hide it. But from the certainty in her tone—

"Does he by any chance bring people here often?"

"Hmmm, well, I wouldn't say often, but he does sometimes bring strong people from other schools over when they come for friendly matches and the like. It's kinda his way of welcoming opponents from afar t' Osaka. I mean, that's half the reason I was here today—I thought I might hear something interestin'. But t'think he would bring his opponent for the first one 'ere. He's quite the idiot."

"Indeed, it really isn't normal."

"You're one to talk, you accepted his invitation."

"…Haha, I know I'm a little dense."

If he wasn't a little stupid, an F-rank like him would never have even thought about aiming for the Seven Stars Sword King.

So, he "welcomes opponents", huh?

"Haha… still."

Kiriko half-mumbled from behind Shizuku.

"he isn't quite as dense as you seem to think."

"What's that s'pposed to mean?"

"Just what it says on the tin. While he did invite Kurogane-kun and his friends here to welcome them, he has ulterior motives."