In the end I finished Chapter 5 the same day I scheduled chapter 3 and 4 and here it is! (I kinda hope I will gather even more pageviews with this, my pageviews were poor.) Enjoy! Oh Btw 2 days(from this post) left to my 19th birthday, congratulate me! 15th may is a birthday day~! See any mistakes? Comment them below~

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The time was probably 7 or 8 o’clock in the evening. The sun had fallen and starry darkness had spread through the sky, but for Shiori the time wasn’t that late. The supermarkets in Japan would still be open.

However.

There were few shops open in the city. The main Street that had been so busy at daytime had then turned really quiet. There didn’t seem like there was as much outdoor lights as in Japan.

Was the night always that dark? Shiori began to feel fear and speeded up her steps to escape it.

She couldn’t find a place to stay and work, though she thought she could endure being homeless tonight, that idea has been reconsidered as impossible.

The night was more scary than she thought. The anxiousness of whenever there was something out there is the darkness crossed her chest.

The shops that was open in the area was an inn, a dining hall and a tavern. But those were some of the shops that refused to hire her when she tried asking for a job at daytime.

(What should I do? The stores that are still open, what remains there…)

Shiori looked at the big building in front of her. It had plenty of windows and was two stories tall, with beautiful engravings on its big doors and balcony railings.

The town was wide and had some places with dim atmospheres and the security seemed bad in some parts, but this area was a quiet, sophisticated, luxurious residential area. From where Shiori stood one could see some pretty houses.

However the building in front of her felt different from an ordinary mansion.

(Is this… a hotel?)

That was Shiori’s guess. It wasn’t an ‘inn’, it was a ‘hotel’. Of course it was different from the modern hotels in Japan, but the size and the atmosphere from the building was different from the other inns in the city.

Somehow the threshold felt high, and when she found it here in daytime she passed straight by it. Perhaps it was impossible for her to be hired.

But this time she couldn’t afford avoiding it. She had to try even if she gets refused.

While Shiori waited for a guest carriage to leave she softly aimed at the hotel entrance. There was a doorman like man and when Shiori gave him a silent smile he mistook her as a customer and opened the door normally.

The Onee-san who sold accessories had told her that with her groomed skin and hair, Shiori might seem like a lady.

However, it was strange for a woman to wear trousers, and the doorman also had a slightly strange face.

When entering, Shiori was greeted by a marble entrance. It wasn’t as wide as she thought and the lighting was dim. But because it used lamps and candles instead of florescent lights it had a good calming atmosphere.

A young man at the reception desk looked into his books and didn’t seem to take notice of Shiori.

Although Shiori tried to talk to him she felt distracted by the tasty smell that tinkled her nose.

(From over there, It looks like a restaurant was attached to the hotel.)

It was next to the entrance. As it was around dinner time, the restaurant was really busy.

As if she just remembered, her stomach started to grumble. Shiori was hungry since she had walked a long distance so she decided to head for it.

Everyone who was eating was dressed up to a extent and there was an atmosphere like that of gentlemen and ladies of the upper class. The restaurant was wide and almost full, but it wasn’t as noisy like the city’s tavern.

(Somehow everyone here seems to be rich, maybe some of them are of aristocracy. I wonder if they can invite me to stay tonight, even a mansions storage would be alright…)

Though she thought like that, she didn’t have the actual courage to ask for it.

She transferred her attention from the customers to the employees. Waitresses wearing uniform were wandering around the tables carrying dishes out to the customers.

And when she turned around, she saw men in their 50s, with mustaches and hair stroked on tightly on their heads, and observed their work.

As there are some people stretching their muscles, the work seemed hard.

Perhaps, there in someone great who leads the personnel in this hotel.

(If I want to ask if they can hire me it would be faster to ask that person directly, it seems hard, I’m becoming nervous, but…)

She could not keep standing there forever, Shiori headed for one of the men in moustache. Lightly fixing up her hair and coughing lightly with a kohon, she speaks fearfully.

She didn’t know enough words to say phrases such as ‘Um, excuse me’ and ‘Excuse me for interrupting your work’.

“I, want work”

The only choice she had was to get to the main point.

It is really inconvenient that she’s not good at the language. She might be seen as someone with no common sense.

“What? Work?”

While raising a single eyebrow, the mustache man responded. His voice, full with thorns, pierced Shiori’s heart.

But she cannot lose here. She hated to be homeless.

“Please, cleaning, washing, I’ll do anything”

Shiori begged, but the man only coldly returned to her.

“It’s impossible. We can’t give work to foreigners. Get that. Why did you even come in here?”

He pulled her her arm trying to drive her away, but Shiori resisted by stepping on his feat. She desperately appealed in Japanese.

“Please, I will do anything, even work that most people dislike. I will do whatever dirty work you have. I do not need a big salary either. Please, please hire me!”

“I don’t understand what you are saying, give it up, leave, this…”

“I, will, not…”

Shiori stands firm with the man pulling her arm, it was like a tug-war with neither side being able to take even a step.

“Hey you, you there”

Suddenly a third party voice came in between them. It was said to the mustache man, but Shiori also turned to look.

Immediately behind, there was a sofa group – unlike the ordinary tables and chairs – this was the VIP seat and the voice had come from there.

“That child is my acquaintance, please let go of her”

He was a senior middle-aged plump man, with a smile that could make others smile, and he said that while beckoning Shiori to come closer. There was another man next to him, seems like they were eating together.

“…That was rude of me”

The mustache man, while wiping of the sweat he got from fighting with Shiori, bowed to the plump costumer. After taking a quick glance at Shiori, he quickly made his way back towards the kitchen.

Shiori dives into thoughts while looking at the costumer. They are, of course, not acquainted. If so, why did he help her?

“Ey, Ojou-san. Why aren’t you coming over here?”

The plump man says without letting his smile disappear. He was dressed tidily and had a friendly aura, and she didn’t have anything else to do, so Shiori silently headed to his seat. Even though he had a nouveau riche feel from the gold ring on his finger, perhaps he is not a bad person.

In support of Shiori’s thinking, he said.

“I heard it a moment ago, you are looking for a job Ojou-san? I wonder, how about working at my place?”

“…!”

Hearing his pleasant offer, Shiori’s eyes opened wide. To not miss this chance, Shiori nods her head in a ‘un un’ and answer.

“Work! I want work”

After saying that she adds “Ah, but…”

“I, no house. Live-in work, happy”

‘It is a bit brazen, but I would be very grateful to work as a live-in if it is possible.’ when telling him that quickly with a few words, the man acknowledged it quite well.

“Oh, that’s ok, as most of us do work live-in, we will prepare a room for Ojou-san”

“Really?! Thank you. I, words, bad…is fine?”

“That isn’t a problem. Being bad with words can be something good and cute. There are many customers who are attracted to that.” (TLN: I think this man is really suspicious, it feels like he offers her a job in a brothel…)

“Thank goodness…!”

Apparently it seems to be some kind of guest service, seems like there is no problem even if her speech is broken. Shiori breathlessly inquired.

“Work, content, teach”

She said with a smile. There was an occasional male word since the one who taught her the language was Krust, unfortunately the man himself didn’t seem to notice that.

It had a certain command tone too but the man didn’t get angry, he was blown away with the man who was sitting beside him.

“Wahaha, good. We may get some customers with a special taste.”

“…?”

“Well, maybe we should talk about work later. Aren’t you hungry? You should eat this. I don’t have much work prepared for you yet.”

Saying so, the man presented his dessert to Shiori. It looked like an apple pie with cream on top.

“Although it came with the course, but I’m not good with sweets”

Passing the fork over to Shiori, himself taking a sip on his sake. (TLN: Japanese rice wine)

“Ah, thanks!”

Just as she thought she would die hungry, Shiori received the dish with pleasure. This person, he is a really good person! While thinking like that.

To Shiori, the people who unconditionally give people food are classed as ‘good people’.

(TLN: This mc is naive, so very naive.)

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