4-61: The Mischievous Kid is Reckless (1/3)
I see.
Before Shinichi was a large Japanese-style inn.
It had been built just recently to accommodate the rise of demand from the tourists from Garesto. The inn had a good reputation for its old-fashioned Japanese culture and employees thoroughly trained in the spirit of hospitality.
Literally, the Japanese Inn [1], Shinichi said.
Kyui! Youko said.
Dont stray from .
Shinichi nodded, impressed and satisfied, but his arm was imdiately pulled, and he was dragged away.
Im glad you like it, but we have to keep going, Frire said.
Ah, sorry, Shinichi said.
Shinichi apologized to Frire and allowed himself be dragged away.
Aristel and Myuhi wryly smiled, and Ryou looked at them aghast.
Youko was on top of Shinichis head as usual, but there were no other students.
The inn wouldnt be able to accommodate everyone if all the students of the academy were to co at the sa ti, so their schedule was arranged, and they were sent here as an advance party of sort.
Frire as the teacher representative, and the top three rankers as the student representatives.
Shinichi was here because he was officially under Frires supervision and couldnt be left alone.
The other students were each sightseeing while taking their own route toward the inn, so having Shinichi here was better for Frire and him. It made it look like his movents were being restricted when in fact this was actually giving him more freedom.
Welco, everyone.
A clear voice greeted them as they passed the huge gateway that adorned the inns grand entrance.
A beautiful woman in Japanese clothes stood in front of several hostesses lined up.
My na is Haruka Tsukishima and I am the proprietress in charge of this inn. Thank you so much for coming here from such so far away.
In the face of that courteous greeting accompanied by a gentle expression, they found themselves bowing back by reflex.
The sight of her captivated Frire, and Shinichi had to poke her to get her back.
T-Thank you for having us. Im Doneju, the teacher in charge of this field trip. We are very grateful to you for taking our request on such short notice.
Frire included a small apology as she returned her greeting.
Though the proprietress would never show her fatigue on her face, one could only imagine how much effort she must have put to arrange their stay.
Not at all. It just so happened that we had an opening today and tomorrow. However, we must apologize because we were unable to completely book everything due to the abruptness of the scheduling.
Despite that she was even apologetic because she couldnt book out the whole inn as the contract demanded.
Whether she was sincere about that or not, and even if she was actually being sarcastic, Shinichi was impressed by how seemingly experienced she was from her response.
It was us who called on such short notice. Ill remind the students not to bother the other guests, but if sothing were to happen, please just let or these three know. Oh, but not Nakamura(this guy). We will be sure to give a proper response.
The proprietress and the other employees were curious why Shinichi was the only exception, but they were experienced enough not to ask needless questions and just naturally nodded.
I understand. If youll allow , I can show you to your room right aEh?
Ku ku.
But then the proprietress cut her speech midway and opened her eyes wide in surprise.
Frire and the others were curious what happened, but their attention were gathered fully on her.
They did sense soone laughing, but in the end, the proprietress agitation beca an assist.
Take that!
And in the next mont, a young voice rose and a dress was flipped, laying bare the secrets hidden beneath to the light of day.
For a mont, the victim(Aristel) had no idea what had transpired, but her look of confusion quickly transford into that of surprise.
K-Kyaa!?!?
Soone had quickly lifted up her dress.
Aristel scread and she quickly held down her dress, but unfortunately, that striped sothing had already been witnessed by everyone.
Yay!
As the proprietress and the hostesses were all petrified by the sudden turn of events, he() let out a cry of triumph and ran past them.
A young, lively boy about the age of an elentary school student was standing there with a V-sign.
Young master!?
A-Ahh, Im so sorry!
While the hostesses were stunned by the sight, the proprietress ca to her senses and imdiately apologized.
Fortunately, there were no other guests or male employees in the entrance hall, but the proprietress knew that this wasnt a matter that could be put aside just like that.
The little boy knitted his brow and was about to leave after snorting out a hmph, but
Huh? Ah, wawa!?
His body was suddenly lifted up.
Before anyone knew it, Shinichi had caught him by the scruff of his neck and brought him back up to eye level.
Uu.
Shinichi glared at him, and the boy shrank back, unable to swear in the face of such a threatening atmosphere.
The proprietress and hostesses panicked because of that, but Shinichi suddenly relaxed his gaze.
Good job!
Huh?
Hah?
What?
Then he nodded and praised the boy.
As expected, it was not just one person who was confused but everyone all around.
I saw sothing good thanks to you, Shinichi said.
Huh? Uh The kid said.
What in the world are you telling a kid!? Frire said.
S-Shinichi-san! I-If you wanted to see, you couldve just asked Shinichi said.
Enough, Ari-chan, saying any more than that is dangerous~ Myuhi said.
I saw nothing, I saw nothing I saw nothing! Ryou said.
Shinichi had given a thumbs-up and praised the boy despite the commotion, but that only led to the boy becoming stunned and puzzled, too unnerved to say anything.
I see, Shinichi said.
Shinichi seed to have felt sothing from that, as he nodded once and brought the boy back down.
The boy glanced at the proprietress for a mont before vanishing into the inn.
A tinge of loneliness could be felt from his back.
Im so sorry! My foolish son did sothing so discourteous!
I-Its fine. Its what you would expect from a kid, so please dont worry about it.
Aristel had been full of sha, but now she was bowing her head.
She actually did an what she said, so she asked the proprietress to raise her head, but she refused to budge.
So he really was your son. Whats his na? How old is he?
Shinichi started talking as though nothing had happened.
Huh? Ah, yes. Hes Kouta. Hes still just in his first grade of elentary. It might be because of my inability to raise him correctly, but hes pulling a lot of pranks recently.
Despite being taken aback by the change in topic, the proprietress raised her head, then apologized and bowed again.
Ahaha, it must be tough But you should be careful. If you leave him like that, if the pranks stop being just pranks, it really will be the end().
Shinichi smiled despite saying such disquieting things.
In fact, they were so disquieting that they froze the air.
Describing sothing as the end just had that much anxiety and truth behind it.
Hey, Nakamura, what are you saying Frire said.
He was really troubled when I praised him, you know. Thats not how soone enjoying a prank would react. That kid He pulled that prank precisely because it was the wrong thing to do. He mustve wanted to get soones attention, Shinichi said.
As for who that soone was, Shinichis gaze made it resplendently clear.
And indeed, the proprietress herself seed to have an idea what he was getting at, as a different kind of apologetic expression filled her face.
The hostesses around also made a face that suggested they knew sothing.
Thats why if he stops pulling pranks, you should take it that hes given up.
A cruel yet gentle prediction about the mont when a child stops expecting anything from their parent.
I highly recomnd you make ti for him even if its hard. You see Whenever I see troubled kids that want attention, I cant help but want to help them. Well, Im just so kid that knows nothing about being a parent, though.
Shinichi took advantage of his own position to poke his nose into an unrelated persons parent-son relationship whom he was eting for the first ti.
The proprietress was just shocked by his audacity and lack of embarrassnt.
But
Thank you for your concern.
In the end, how did she take his advice which no one asked?
The proprietress bowed her head once again, but it was clear that it held a different aning behind it.
[1] Written as Za Nihon Ryokan. Perhaps a reference to Za Warudo/The World?
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