Published at 19th of August 2023 8:05 am

Chapter 360b: Kojirou　My Partner Is Not A Sword, But A Kitchen Knife

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This is a story about Kojirou

After parting with Al and Roomba at the dry riverbed, I run toward the Kagura’s castle.

Originally, I was planning to practice with the swordsmen as well as instructing my subordinates.

Even though I don’t want to do it, I was forced to train with those dirty guys and work hard at long training runs and also strength training. And I have to give clever advice to my subordinates while watching over them.

To put it bluntly, it’s a torment for me.

Normally, I would have dawdle and arrive at the castle just barely in time while sighing when it was time to start my work.

However, the me today is different.

Despite heading toward my workplace at the Kagura castle, my steps were as light as a feather

I lightly run past the dry riverbed toward the residential area. And even when walking through the main street that overflows with life and people, I continue to pass through and dodge people smoothly like fish swimming in the river.

I wonder just how long has it been since I run through the road like this.

I can feel my heart beating faster than usual.

Of course, it’s not because I’m out of breath or becoming weaker due to running. Much less getting excited about going to work, absolutely not.

That’s right, I’m not going to the castle to do my work as usual.

――I came to the castle today to tell them that I quit.

My family has a long and illustrious history of serving as the protector of the Shogun family that governs this country for generations.

Born as the eldest son of such a family, I was educated in becoming a loyal swordsman to protect the family of the Shogun.

Fortunately, I’m the type of person who does not lack motor skills when it comes to moving my body, in fact, I’m rather good at it.

Training as a swordsman was fun at first, my parents also praised me for my progress.

I - who was a simple kid back then - wholeheartedly devoted myself to training so my parents will praise me.

Continued to spend my time training throughout my childhood - maybe because it was due to my parent's upbringing - that I got strong enough that I even managed to win against the swordsman who works in the castle.

By now, there are probably only a few people who can match my abilities, like my parents or the Shogun-sama.

Demonstrating ability and upbringing that won’t embarrass my family status, I was invited by the Shogun-sama and granted the honorable position of being someone who is responsible for his son - Shuichi-sama - guard and instructor.

I got up early every morning and start cleaning. After that was done, then it was morning practice. Then after having my breakfast, I’m guarding Shuichi-sama, and patrolled the town. After that, lunch, and after that was done, I was made to practice again and after that’s done, I was made to do miscellaneous tasks, then my superior scolded me for unreasonable things, lowering my head unwillingly. After coming back home exhausted, I don’t feel like doing anything as the day passed like that, and the same thing happened again the next morning.

I’m spending such an uninteresting life.

I didn’t want to become a swordsman in the past. I wielded a sword since I’m the eldest son of the Inaba family who serve the Shogun’s family.

It’s not like I have a loyalty that makes me like my country or serve my lord, nor do I like to swing a sword like the swordsmen around me.

Just that my parents and the people around me will praise me if I were to improve my sword skill.

I don’t have the self-intention to become one myself.

So what would happen if a person with such a weak determination got a respectable job unsuitable to that person.....

It will only make that person’s daily life painful.

There is nothing interesting or purpose in that person’s life. Nevertheless, that person can’t leave that job behind and has no courage to quit.

As a result, I can only mutter 「I want to quit my job」, and my mother, sister, and also my subordinates will tell me 「Please keep your jokes in moderation and quickly get to work」.

I only spend my painful days out of habit.

And in that kind of situation, I met a foreigner named Alfried that changed me.

He gave me something to eat, unadon.

It was the most delicious thing I have ever eaten.

It’s made from an eel, something that smells of mud and fishy. So it was said, but then the eel was magically reborn through Alfried’s skilled cooking technique.

The result is that it has a crispy outer texture and overflows with the eel’s fat when chewed. It’s soft on the inside, becoming uniquely delicious when combined with soy sauce-based sauce.

The flavor is a little strong as it is, but the amazing thing is that, when you eat it with rice - our country’s staple food - it becomes perfect in taste.

Despite everyone saying that eel is unpalatable, such a thing can be reborn into a delicious dish with the proper knowledge and technique.

The food I casually eat every day is probably the result of accumulated study until it has finally become a complete dish like this.

Although I experienced it at this late hour, I felt admiration and interest in cooking.

Al told me that his unadon is still not perfect. Since that is so, I want to complete it with my own hands.

And then, I want to give others the same kind of surprise from the delicious taste that I experienced.

As someone who had nothing I wanted to do since I was born, it was the moment when I wanted to do something willingly.

I want to try and accomplish that by quitting my job and throwing away my position.

Al and Roomba are rooting for me instead of laughing at my decision.

Already, there is no longer any fear of quitting my job in my heart.

That’s why, I’m quitting my job today.

「Huh? Kojirou-sama is running even though it is not close to the start of working hours」

「……you’re right. How unusual. To think that Kojirou-sama is running. He usually has a lifeless look on his face as he walks with heavy steps, it feels like he is unusually motivated and energetic today」

Before the bridge in front of the castle gate, the swordsman on guard duty is examining the guests who come to the castle but such things are unnecessary for someone in my position.

I ignore them as they seem like they are curiously looking at me.

I cross the bridge in the blink of an eye and enter the castle to meet my hateful superior.

Aah, where is the elder1? It’s an old man who always makes snide remarks every time we meet.

Unfortunately, he is my superior, and I would want to meet him if it’s under normal circumstances. As soon as I sense his presence inside the castle, I will even take a detour to avoid the other party.

However, now that I’m going to quit my job, the story is different now

I want to meet him immediately and say straight out that I quit.

I wonder what kind of reaction that unreasonable old man would have? One way or another, that person knows how important I am. Now that I’m going to tell him I quit, he will definitely panic.

Just imagining that hateful superior of mine’s figure makes me laugh.

「Huh? Kojirou-sama? What happened to you to be in such a hurry?」

As I was half-running inside the castle while thinking about such things, a subordinate swordsman approached and asked me.

I don’t have time to deal with him right now, but maybe he knows the location of the old man.

It will be better to ask for his whereabouts rather than running around inside the castle.

Calming myself down, I stop and reply to him.

「I’m looking for the Elder, do you know where he is?」

「I saw Elder-sama heading to the fourth floor just now」

「I see, thank you!」

Now that I know where he is, this is it.

After briefly thanking him, I start to gallantly climb the stairs.

On the way, I met waiting maids and other swordsmen and replied to them in passing and still continued toward the fourth floor.

And as I run through the fourth floor’s hallway, I found an old man with a balding spot at the back of his head.

That person is my superior, Kinugasa Shinzaemon 2.

Finally finding Kinugasa, I hurriedly approached him from behind.

Remembering the sarcasm and criticism he said to me until now makes me want to dropkick him, but I desperately resist that urge inside me.

「Kinugasa-dono, may I speak to you for a moment?」

「……you’re so noisy Kojirou. This is Shogun-sama castle, where he lives. Can you act with a little more prudence?」

As always, an old man who speaks in an unpleasant manner.

Still, it is certainly wrong to half ran inside the castle, but there should be another pleasant manner of telling others that.

His words were irritating as usual, but today is the day I quit my job.

But when I thought that this will be my last time having a relationship with him as superior and subordinate, my irritable heart suddenly went calm.

「Do forgive me. I will be careful so this kind of thing will not happen again」

「H, hm. So what is it that you want to talk with me?」

Despite being perplexed by my unusual meek response, Kinugasa still asks.

After I corrected my posture, I directly say this to Kinugasa while staring straight into his eyes.

「Kinugasa-dono, I will resign from my job today」

「……haaa, your favorite phrase again. I do not have the time for this. Go find someone else if you want to say jokes like that」

Hearing what I said, Kinugasa deeply sigh and turned his back away as though we were done.

「That’s not it this time! I’m serious!」

Even when I appeal to him seriously, Kinugasa is not listening to me and keeps on walking away.

Eeei, I always said those phrases every day so he didn’t take me seriously.

I should show him my firm resolution since it has come to this.

「I will relinquish this sword to the Shogun」

And when I resolutely said that straight out, Kinugasa’s - who was walking in the hallway - stop and he turns around.

「……you, do you really understand the meaning of those words you said?」

His sharp eyes look as though they were criticizing my actions.

Due to old age, he already retired from the frontline as a swordsman, but he was originally a skilled swordsman.

He glares at me while being surrounded by a dangerous atmosphere.

It is only natural for Kinugasa to criticize me. As to why, that’s because I am of the Inaba, and it has been our duty to serve Shogun-sama for generations. Moreover, when I was assigned the duty to become Shuichi-sama’s guard, Shogun-sama directly bestowed me with this sword.

And so, returning this sword is the same as saying that I no longer have any intention to protect Shogun-sama’s family or Shuichi-sama. It is not something that can be dismissed as a joke.

「Of course. I will part ways with this sword today. Because, from today on, my partner is not a sword, but a kitchen knife!」

「……haa?」

TL Note : There are still 5 more chapters of Kojirou's 'eel drama'.

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