New chapter of Single Old Man is out! (1/2 chapters)

 

 

New Work of Atonement

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

One day, I asked Richter to summon Barion.

The place was my office. Barion wore a tattered shirt, sported an unkempt beard, and his eyes had lost all vitality. To say that he came would be misleading; rather, it was more as though he had been dragged here, with Richter present as well.

“…What is it, I thought at last I could die.” (Barion)

So, this is the end of those who fall into disgrace.

A man who was disgraced and lost everything. To actually see it with my own eyes brought forth a sorrow, for his wretchedness was too pitiful. Having abandoned life and become indifferent to all things, Barion no longer bore even a trace of his former self. He had grown thin and frail, weakened to the point that he seemed liable to die at any moment.

“What business do you have with me now… I only wish to die.” (Barion)

“…” (Gentoku)

“Hahaha, that look in your eyes, you pity me, do you not. It matters not, for I no longer have anything left to lose. Hm……you, are you not Sandrone’s attendant? Hahaha, look upon me then, behold the pitiful end of the man she hated. Convey this to her, that the former fiancé she despised has lost his name, his value as a noble, his beloved wife, and even the child soon to be born, and that he has died wretchedly like a beast on the roadside.” (Barion)

“…” (Gentoku)

“Ahh, I wish to die quickly…” (Barion)

I have something in mind… but could I truly entrust it to Barion in such a state? Barion is no longer cling to life.

Then, the door to the office opened, and Sandrone entered.

“Richter… so this is what you were sneaking about for.” (Sandrone)

“O-Ojou… this is, that is to say…” (Richter)

“…Barion.” (Sandrone)

Sandrone had come.

Casting her cold eyes upon the ragged, rag-like Barion. Barion smiled with his muddied eyes.

“Ah, Sandrone. Are you well.” (Barion)

“You, what of the toilet cleaning? Are you idling here in a place such as this?” (Sandrone)

“…Hahaha. So, you know nothing. Truly, it seems I no longer matter in any regard.” (Barion)

“What are you saying…?” (Sandrone)

“Sandrone, allow me to explain.” (Gentoku)

I explained everything to Sandrone.

That the contract of 10 years’ cleaning had already been annulled, that he had been expelled from his family home and was living in the slums, that he had divorced his wife and could not see the child who was to be born. That in despair, he had chosen to die like a dog in the street.

Hearing this, Sandrone widened her eyes.

“To annul the contract. To break the promise to make him clean toilets for 10 years and discard him so easily…” (Sandrone)

“…Sandrone. Do not pity me. Hahaha, it no longer matters. My wife and child are gone. There is no reason for me to live anymore… I am tired.” (Barion)

“Barion, you… and still you call yourself a noble. When you drove me to annul our engagement before the public eye, you were far more vigorous than this.” (Sandrone)

“…” (Barion)

Barion said nothing.

And then, he spoke to Sandrone.

“If you pity me… then would you not kill me with your own hand? Surely, you hated me.” (Barion)

“…Are you speaking in earnest?” (Sandrone)

“Yes. It is enough, you have never known despair as I have. You cannot possibly understand my heart…” (Barion)

“…” (Sandrone)

Sandrone clenched her teeth.

She was not in a position to say anything. It was Sandrone who had punished Barion. Yet afterward, she had not given any thought to what would become of him, never imagined he would be expelled, divorced, and kept from meeting his child.

She must have thought that ten years of reflection would suffice. By then, the Peridot Company could be rebuilt, Barion too might settle down, and perhaps they could even manage a joint venture, so she may have thought. But now, Barion had been discarded, lost his will to live, and if left alone, would certainly die. Even Sandrone had surely not considered matters to this extent.

I spoke to Barion.

“Barion. It is your own business if you despair of life and choose to die. But… before you die, there is something you must do.” (Gento)

“…Eh?” (Barion)

As I said this, the door to the living space opened, and Tigger-san, Lycos-san, Lunar-san, and also Kuroha-chan and Lisa-chan came forth.

“These are the people of the Tiger Company, which once had a partnership with your company.” (Gento)

“…The Tiger Company.” (Barion)

“At present, these people are in crisis. And it is because of you.” (Gentoku)

“…” (Barion)

Barion lowered his head.

I saw it… that Barion clenched his teeth and wore an expression of apology. Barion had not yet died. And before I could say anything, Barion stood up.

“…I beg your forgiveness.” (Barion)

Barion bowed his head. He bowed deeply toward Tigger-san. I was surprised by this. Before I had spoken, Barion had of his own accord bowed his head. Tigger-san too was astonished, looking to me in agitation.

“Barion. You still have something you must do, do you not?” (Gentoku)

“…And what should I do? Before I die, should I go about apologizing to all the companies I troubled?” (Barion)

“That is not it. There are several other companies also in crisis. And furthermore, every one of them is composed of beastkin.” (Gentoku)

Whether coincidence or not, I knew not, but upon investigation, I was surprised. Every struggling company was a beastkin’s company. All were acquaintances of Tigger-san. Only beastkin, who were good-natured folk, were unable to rebuild their companies properly, suffering hardship. Among them, many had even resolved to close down.

“Barion. How about you… try running a company once more? Gather together all the struggling beastkin’s companies and manage a joint enterprise.” (Gentoku)

“…Me?” (Barion)

“Yes. It will not be a company that sells or produces goods. After speaking with Tigger-san and those suffering company leaders, we resolved to establish a single enterprise.” (Gentoku)

“…Eh?” (Barion)

I took out the magical apparatus I had prepared. It was a large cylinder I held in my hand, and when I switched it on, it made a loud noise.

“W-What is that?” (Barion)

“I call it the ‘magical vacuum cleaner’. When this switch is turned on, it sucks up dust from the tip, it is a magical tool I devised for the purpose of cleaning.” (Gentoku)

Yes, a vacuum cleaner.

I also showed a floor-polishing machine, an air-duster magical tool that blows air, and others. All the magical tools I displayed were cleaning implements.

“What I propose is a ‘company specializing in cleaning’.” (Gentoku)

“…Cleaning?” (Barion)

“Yes. Beastkin have strength, they can easily lift heavy desks and shelves, can they not? Instead of selling goods, you will sell labor for warehouses, offices, toilets, shops, the weeding of company grounds… in short, you will sell ‘cleaning as labor’.” (Gento)

That was to say, making cleaning into a profession. Indoors, cleaning would be the main task including outdoors, weeding or helping with farmwork could also be done. To make use of the strength and stamina of beastkin, there could be no work more suitable.

“You, I would have you become the company president, to take charge of advertisement and acquisition of work. You are skilled at calculations of money and the coordination of dispatches, are you not?” (Gentoku)

“…It does not have to be me. I have no such qualification.” (Barion)

“There is no one but you. Right, Tigger-san?” (Gentoku)

“H-How unworthy of me……in truth, we beastkin do indeed have strength and stamina, but we are not good with calculations and such matters.” (Tigger)

When Richter investigated, it turned out that they had hired outsiders to do clerical work, but the financial statements had errors, and even traces of falsification.

“Barion. If you truly feel responsibility, then help these people.” (Gentoku)

“…” (Barion)

Then, even Tigger-san bowed his head.

“I beg you. Please… help us.” (Tigger)

“…Everything is my responsibility. And even so, you would entrust it to me?” (Barion)

“Yes. And furthermore, the responsibility is not yours alone……the moment I sold those goods, I too became an accomplice. Everyone shares my feeling.” (Gentoku)

Every beastkin who suffered was a person like Tigger-san, bearing a sense of responsibility.

Barion looked to me and said…

“…Is it truly all right, for me to do this?” (Barion)

“There is no one else.” (Gentoku)

“…I shall do it. Allow me, for as long as I live, to devote myself to them.” (Barion)

“Good, it is decided. Now then, things will become busy. But first……you must change clothes, and eat. Also, a place to live.” (Gentoku)

“That, I shall do.” (Sandrone)

With that, Sandrone stepped forward.

“Barion. I have no intention of forgiving you, and I care nothing for your resolve. But you have received sufficient retribution. I shall lend you a hand, just a little.” (Sandrone)

“…Sandrone.” (Barion)

“Richter, arrange for his food, clothing, and shelter. Also, Tigger-san, gather all the representatives of the struggling beastkin’s companies and bring them to the Alexandrite Company. At once.” (Sandrone)

“Y-Yes. I am unworthy……” (Tigger)

“Gentoku. I shall take it from here. And……hand over to me the specifications for those cleaning magical tools, all of them.” (Sandrone)

“O-Oh……” (Gentoku)

Sandrone departed.

Richter escorted Barion, and Tigger-san with his two wives also left. Left remaining were only I, Snow-san, and Yuki-chan.

“Phew……it worked out somehow.” (Gentoku)

“Gentoku-san, you are amazing……to think you would devise the idea of saving the struggling companies by uniting them.” (Snow)

“No, no, it was when I saw Barion cleaning that I thought it. That there ought to be a cleaning company……and besides, Barion’s cleaning was very thorough.” (Gentoku)

“Nyaa. Kuroha, Lisa’s home, is it going to be all right?” (Yuki)

“Yes, surely it will. Well then… I am not in the mood to work today. Snow-san, Yuki-chan, shall we go somewhere to eat?” (Gento)

“Oh my, that sounds nice.” (Snow)

“Nyaa~” (Yuki)

As for what will become of things from here, I shall watch for a while… Barion, this time you better see it through.

 

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