Chapter 51: Chikano Monzaemon
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps was heard. Souta immediately turned towards the door, where a woman he had previously met reappeared. She stood in the doorway, observing the room with a look of surprise.
The woman's eyes swept across the entire room, from the now tidier table, the neatly made bed, to the cabinet that had been dusted.
Her gaze then landed on a pile of paper trash in the corner of the room, before finally settling on Souta, who was still standing with a folded piece of paper in his hand.
"Did you really clean this room?" the woman asked incredulously.
Souta felt a bit awkward, but he nodded.
The woman smiled faintly. "Alright, since you managed to complete the test I gave you, starting tomorrow you can come and work here to help with cleaning. Ah! I haven't asked your name. What is your name?"
Souta smiled slightly, feeling a bit relieved that his efforts were appreciated. "Souta! My name is Souta!"
"Alright, Souta. My name is Chikano Monzaemon," the woman said, still with a faint smile on her face.
Souta fell silent.
Chikano Monzaemon?
Monzaemon?!
Souta felt his heart race. That name was not unfamiliar to him. In fact, it was legendary in the history of Sunagakure!
Souta's eyes widened in shock. "Chikano Monzaemon...? Monzaemon... No way! Chikamatsu Monzaemon! Are you a descendant of the first Kugutsu user?! The one who also created the Kugutsu technique?!"
The woman smiled wider and then let out a small laugh. "Fufufu... That's right."
Souta swallowed hard, unable to believe it. Standing before him was a direct descendant of Chikamatsu Monzaemon, the legendary figure who created the famous Kugutsu technique in the ninja world.
Souta immediately bowed deeply. "I apologize! I didn't know you were a descendant of the famous Lord Chikamatsu!"
"It's alright," Chikano said, her tone calm yet authoritative. "Souta, starting tomorrow you can come to work cleaning. By the way, you finish from the Ninja Academy around three in the afternoon, right?"
Souta nodded quickly. "That's correct."
"Then starting from three-thirty in the afternoon until eight-thirty in the evening, you will work cleaning this place. You can work six days a week. In one month, you will earn about 4000 Ryo. How does that sound?"
Souta's eyes widened. "4000?! That's a huge amount! Are you sure?"
"Of course," Chikano said casually. "Do you know how much this place earns? 4000 Ryo doesn't mean much to us. Besides, we really need someone to help with cleaning."
Souta was still shocked, but deep down, he knew this was a golden opportunity. It wasn't just about the money—there was also the chance to learn something valuable.
Souta glanced at the paper in his hand once more.
He then shifted his gaze back to Chikano, who was still standing near the table with a relaxed expression.
"So, what should I do with all this paper?" Souta asked with a slight smile, his eyes glancing at the scattered pile of paper on the somewhat worn wooden table.
Chikano raised an eyebrow before glancing briefly at the pile of paper. "Hm? These papers are no longer useful, just wait a moment."
Chikano turned and walked towards the wooden cabinet located in the corner of the room. The cabinet looked quite old, with a few cracks on its surface, but it was still sturdy. Chikano opened one of the doors, the hinges creaking softly as she rummaged inside. Her hand moved deftly before finally pulling out a slightly crumpled white bag.
...
Chapter 52: Aren't You Leaving?
Chikano closed the cabinet with a light motion, then walked back towards Souta and handed him the bag. "Just put it in this bag, and could you help me throw it in the trash bin next to the building?" Chikano asked with a friendly smile.
Souta took the bag and felt its slightly rough texture in his hands. "No problem, just leave it to me," Souta said with a slight nod.
"Alright, then I'll be off. See you tomorrow." Chikano smiled faintly, then turned and walked out of the room. Chikano's footsteps faded softly, blending with the calm atmosphere in the building.
Souta watched Chikano disappear behind the door before letting out a small sigh and starting to put all the papers into the bag one by one. The papers felt light, but some were slightly crumpled and torn. After making sure everything was collected, Souta closed the bag neatly and walked towards the exit of the room.
As Souta stepped outside, the long corridor he had just walked through welcomed him again. The light from the wall lantern cast a soft golden glow, creating long shadows on the stone floor. The temperature inside the building felt warmer compared to the cool night air outside, which was beginning to chill.
Souta glanced left and right, ensuring no one was around before carefully closing the door. The sound of the door scraping was faint as it shut completely.
With the bag in one hand, Souta began walking down the long corridor made entirely of compacted sand. The walls had simple carvings that seemed to have been worn down by time.
As he reached the main hall, Souta slowed his pace. The hall was quite spacious, with several large pillars supporting the high ceiling. The air inside felt slightly humid, mixed with the aroma of wood and old fabric from various theater supplies.
When Souta was almost at the exit, he noticed a few people emerging from one of the corridors on the left side of the hall. They were speaking in low voices, but their conversation was still clear to Souta's ears.
"Hm? Is there a child?" one of them asked, the man's tone sounding a bit surprised.
"Oh... Could there be another child besides that one who was also hired here?" another replied in a lower voice.
"I think so. Just ignore it; we still have a lot of work to do. Besides, this place is really short on manpower. Even if they hire a child, as long as they can work well, it doesn't matter," someone said nonchalantly.
Souta, who overheard the conversation, raised an eyebrow slightly. Curiosity began to tickle his mind. Why was the Puppet Arts Theater so short on labor? What was really happening in this place?
However, Souta dismissed his curiosity. It wasn't his concern. As long as he could benefit from working here, he didn't care about the reasons behind it.
With steady steps, Souta continued walking towards the exit. As soon as he passed through the large door, the cold evening air swept across his face, bringing a faint scent of sand from afar.
Once Souta's eyes adjusted to the darkness outside, he immediately spotted two familiar figures standing not far from the door. Pakura and Makima.
"Hey? You guys haven't left? Why are you still here?" Souta asked with a confused expression, a bit surprised to see them still waiting for him.
Makima let out a long sigh before pouting, "I told Pakura-chan! But this girl wouldn't listen to me!"
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