...what the hell happened?

　I was brought to the top floor of Kagura Castle, the General's Room, and I was in front of the General who ruled Kagura, Kagura Tsuyoshi-sama.

　That general, Tsuyoshi-sama, was holding his head and groaning.

　To put it simply, when I explained from Kinugasa to him that I wanted to quit, Goki-sama did this.

　The reason is undoubtedly me, but there's nothing I can do about it this time.

　All I can do is wait for Tsuyoshi-sama to calm down.

　After a while, Tsuyoshi-sama finally gets it sorted out in his head, coughs and asks me.

''Kojiro, what Kinugasa is saying is true, right?''

Yes, I'm sure.

'You're not joking, as you always say, are you?　Returning your sword means you'll never be able to work in this castle again, will you?

Yes, sir. I'm prepared to do that.

　When I tell him once and for all, Tsuyoshi-sama looks puzzled.

''........that, right?　The words came out after a little fight with Kinugasa, didn't they?　It just came out of your mouth and you just couldn't pull it back, right?　I'm not that much of a demon, and neither am I or Kinugasa. If you withdraw now, we won't get mad at you for withdrawing.
No--

'No, that's not what I meant. I said it of my own volition. I don't have two words for you.

'Have you told your mother, Ouka?

I didn't say.

　When I replied that, Tsuyoshi-sama looked terribly relieved.

　He probably thinks that if he can get your mother to persuade him now, he will be able to make it in time.

''However, I am no longer a child. You don't have to ask your mother's permission to do so, but there's no problem.

''No, the eldest son of the Inaba family is quitting as a swordsman. This is not a matter we can proceed without talking to Sakuraba.

　I said I didn't need to call your mother, but Tsuyoshi-sama is going to call her to keep her back, even if she's determined.

''Hey, someone. Go get Sakuragi for me.

　Tsuyoshi-sama ordered the swordsman who was waiting for him and called your mother.

　Dammit, it's troublesome.

　I was going to follow Al's advice and stop my job first and report to your mother after the fact.

　Oh, well. It's better to get your mother's permission here, so that we can act more smoothly later on.

　No one conversed among the generals, and the only sound was the sound of robes being rubbed by the rigid-sama's poor shaking.

　I wonder if he is in a hurry.

　Compared to that, my heart is very clear. Aah, I'm really looking forward to researching eel bowl now.

　I'd like to practice handling eel more and handle the knife as smoothly as Al does.

　And I have to start making my own secret sauce. As I recall, he told me that stewing the bones of the eel gives it a nice flavor.

　I have to finish making a true bowl of eel as soon as possible. Then I'll give it to Al to eat, and this time I'll be the one to knock his socks off.

　Just imagining Al and Lumumba's amazement makes me feel happy.

　As I was imagining such a future, two signs came from the corridor.

''Tsuyoshi-sama, I've brought Ouka-dono to you.

Mm, come in.

　As Tsuyoshi-sama announced hawkishly, a sideline swordsman slowly opened the sliding door.

　Then a woman came in from it.

　She had long, glossy black hair that reminded me of a raven's wet feathers, and her skin was as white as snow. However, her gaze is frighteningly sharp, like a bare sword.

　Inaba Ouka. Although she is a commoner woman, she has risen to prominence with a single sword, competing with her father, the head of the Inaba family, and is my mother.

　At first glance, she appears to have a calm personality, but her true nature is harsh.

　And because she is hard on herself, she is also hard on others.

　I've been learning how to use the sword since I was a child, so I know this very well.

　Mother sat diagonally across from Tsuyoshi-sama and bowed and asked in a polite tone.

''Tsuyoshi-sama, is it true that Kojirou made a foolish offer to quit his job?

Yeah, and he even offered to return the sword I gave him.

　The moment Tsuyoshi-sama replied that, Mother shook her shoulders in a jolt.

　Ah, that was angry. You don't need to see her expression to understand your mother's feelings.

''I'm sorry, my foolishness. I'll persuade you now........''

　Mother says an apology to Tsuyoshi-sama and then turns to me.

　Mother's sharp gaze is scary. However, if I'm timid here, I might take it as another willfully wasteful complaint, as usual.

　I reprimand my weak heart and look at my mother's eyes.

　I'm going to finish the bowl of eel and rice that Al taught me.

"Again, Kojiro. Don't embarrass Tsuyoshi-sama by saying that you want to quit your job. And even if you are joking about returning the Shogun's sword.................Apparently, this time it wasn't a joke.

　Then, as if she sensed some kind of determination, she cut off the small talk she had been about to make at one point.
You are right," she said.

That's right, mother. You are right, mother, I am resigning my position as a swordsman with a firm determination. To return the shogun's sword without a resolution is beyond insulting.

　There's no way I can joke about returning the sword the Shogun gave me. I am rotten with enthusiasm for my work, but my spirit is not that rotten.

''.......What in the world happened?

I met an irreplaceable friend and found what I really wanted to do.

What I want to do...

　Al, who understood the pain of work from a child's point of view, and who taught me what is called "unadon", and who never laughed at me when I said I was going to quit my job recklessly.

　Furthermore, Roomba who did not laugh at me when I recklessly said I was going to quit my job, but pushed me to do so.

　The encounter between them and Unadon changed my sense of values and gave me the meaning of life.

'What is it that you want to do, Kojiro?'

　As I'm reminiscing about my time with the two of them, Tsuyoshi-sama asks tantalizingly.

　Mother also gives me a serious look, trying to hear what I have to say.

　Somewhere in the room, where the tension is rising, I take a breath and tell her clearly.

'It's to make an eel bowl and open a restaurant.'

"'Unadon?'

　Tsuyoshi-sama, Mother, and Kinugasa are tilting their heads when they hear my words.

　Huh, it's not unreasonable. It's probably only me, Al and Lumumba who know what an eel bowl is in this country.

"What is an unadon?

Yes, it's a dish in which eels are shucked, grilled, spread with a soy sauce-based sauce and eaten with rice.

The eel has so many bones and smells, it's inedible. If you put that on top of your food, how can you eat it?

　Hearing my words, Kinugasa, who had been sitting like an ornament a moment ago, makes a sarcastic remark here and there.

　It's strange because when this bald man says it, even if it's an ordinary word, he can get pissed off.

　Nevertheless, this word of Kinugasa is the perception of eels in Kagura. Just a few minutes ago, I would have been on that side.

　But I know that's not true.

That's not true. With the right recipe, even that eel can be transformed into a delicious dish. And I know it!

You are a lost cause. You're a swordsman, you don't have the knowledge and skills to do this.

Then I'll make a delicious bowl of unagi (eel) right here and now!

　When Kinugasa sneers at me through his nose, I stand up vigorously and declare.

　If you don't understand the appeal of eel bowls, then I'm going to make you actually eat them until you understand.

''Hey, now is not the time to see if you can make unagi delicious, but to stop Kojiro from quitting--''

'Then let's do this. If you can get the three of us, including me, to admit to cooking eels, as Kojiro says, I will allow you to quit as a swordsman.

　As Tsuyoshi-sama tended the place, your mother suddenly said such a thing.

　It was unexpected. I thought that your mother's character would shout and lecture me even in front of the Shogun, but... What kind of windfall is this?

Hey, Ouka!

"Tsuyoshi, as we have known for some time now, my son has talent, but he has no motivation. It is not appropriate for such a person to be the guard of Shuichi-sama, his successor, and to unite swordsmen.

　Yes, it really is.

　Aside from escorting and guiding Shuichi-sama, it's really impossible to unite his subordinates.

　How can you be pushed to a higher position just because of your skill with the sword? It's one thing to have competence as a swordsman, it's another to have the ability to lead and organize people.

　It would have been easier if I was just a simple swordsman.

...Well, it's true that some of the people below you have voiced such dissatisfaction.

　As Kinugasa said, there are people who see through my attitude and complain about it. It's true, though, that there is a mixture of vexation due to position and ability.

　It's a good idea to have someone at the top who is more motivated and able to lead others correctly, rather than doing it out of sheer inertia.

''Unnu.......is that eel dish something worth quitting your job as a swordsman to do?

''Of course. Once the eel bowl is complete, Kagura's food culture will be able to take another step forward.

　Citizens must be happy to know that they can enjoy eating eel, which they have not been able to eat because they didn't know how to prepare it in the past, even though there are so many of them. It would definitely be a step forward in food culture. If I could contribute to that, it would be well worth it for me to quit my current position.

You said it. If that's the case, then do as Ouka says and show me how you can prove it by making an eel bowl. If Kojiro can decide that it's worth it for him to resign as a swordsman, I'll allow him to resign.

Ha!

　Thus, I had to make a bowl of unadorned rice to quit my job.