Chapter 87: The Highest Letter in the World
"Satisfied."
Top Chat: That’s good to hear.
Top Chat: My throat’s gone and I can’t speak anymore.
Top Chat: Don’t scream while watching a stream! If your neighbor notices, you’ll have to drag them in too.
Top Chat: Wait—you did drag them in, lol.
Top Chat: Man, three hours of singing, huh.
Top Chat: I only meant to watch, but my voice came out naturally.
Top Chat: I’m tired, but it feels good.
"Alright then, it’s over."
The time had passed five o’clock, and sunset was drawing near.
At the request of the department store, the singing contest came to an end.
Top Chat: Eeeeeelfuuuu!
Top Chat: Let me savor the afterglow, lol.
Top Chat: The department store guy who came to end it looked so reluctant.
Top Chat: Bet he didn’t really want to stop it, lol.
Top Chat: But once it’s nighttime it becomes noise, so fair enough.
"Cough Even for me it’s a little rough… big brother, you’re amazing."
"Elf’s sturdy, I guess."
Top Chat: Is that really the issue?
Top Chat: The fact Kyoka can still talk at all means her throat’s tough too.
Top Chat: As expected of the Siren.
Top Chat: Speaking of Siren—Kyoka, was it really okay for you to show your face?
"…I—I didn’t call myself Isaribi Seere."
Top Chat: She looked away, lol.
Top Chat: But you did say Siren, so I think that’s still a no-go, huh.
"If anything comes up, I’ll handle it."
"This one’s on me… but wait, was there actually a clause about no face reveals?"
Top Chat: Oh? A ray of hope?
Top Chat: It’s kinda like Entarou’s case, maybe she won’t get in trouble…
Top Chat: Or maybe she’ll get scolded harder because there’s precedent.
"But, even if I end up having to leave 《2.5D》, I’ll still be singing somewhere."
"I see."
"Yeah."
"Then that’s fine."
Top Chat: A happy ending.
Top Chat: Of course us sailors will follow you!
Top Chat: Set sail!
Top Chat: Though I’ll still keep watching Elf-san’s streams too!
Top Chat: Get enchanted by Siren’s songs, sailor, lol.
Top Chat: That’s that, and this is this!
"Cough hack! …Excuse me. Ladies, thank you for everything today. Allow me, on behalf of the whole troupe, to offer our gratitude."
"You alright?"
"Cough! …I went a little wild for my age. I already dread tomorrow."
Top Chat: “On behalf of”—but the rest of them can barely stand straight, lol.
Top Chat: Just how into it were they, lol.
Top Chat: Guess they’ll be sailors soon too.
Top Chat: And maybe Elf-san’s viewers as well… Actually, yeah, we should have some kind of name by now.
Top Chat: I was thinking the same thing.
"It’s not much, but may we offer you ladies some token of thanks?"
"I don’t need it."
"Me neither."
"Come now, don’t say that—woah!?!"
"You’ve gotta watch the door, that’s dangerous."
"S-sorry."
Top Chat: Nice save, Elf-san!
Top Chat: Fast reflexes.
Top Chat: Was the door open?
Top Chat: More like… when he turned the knob, it just came off in his hand?
Top Chat: Oh.
Top Chat: That’s right, Elf-san broke the doorknob earlier!
"Ah."
"Is that true?"
"Sorry. I put too much force when I first came in."
Top Chat: Broke it, broke it!
Top Chat: You’re not supposed to do thaaaat.
Top Chat: We’re telling Immigration!
Top Chat: Hey, quit it.
Top Chat: What’ll you do if Elf-san really gets flagged at Immigration, lol.
"This works out fine. I’ll pay for it, just give me a receipt."
"Uh… alright, but how exactly is this ‘fine’?"
"I wanted to send one more letter anyway."
Top Chat: Letter?
Top Chat: What do you mean?
"Make it out as ‘educational materials’ and address it to ‘Your Lordship.’"
"…I don’t really get it, but I’ll prepare it."
Top Chat: Oh my god, this is harassment, lol.
Top Chat: Just like the computer bill!
Top Chat: The Dark Side of Education 2: Elf Strikes Back.
"It’s not harassment."
Top Chat: Huh?
Top Chat: It’s not?
I added just two more characters to the receipt I’d gotten from the leader.
"Mm. Done."
"Big brother, what did you write?"
"I’ll tell you later. Alright, see you."
――This stream has ended――
Top Chat: Ah
Top Chat: Wait—
Top Chat: Aaaaaahhhhhh
Top Chat: Damn it!
Top Chat: I got distracted by the question!
Top Chat: Eeeeelfffuuu!!
"Evenin’, Director."
In the director’s office at dusk, a fat old man still in his suit remained.
"What are you doing here, you washed-up panderer?"
"Well, no surprise, it didn’t work out. Every last one of ’em just flat-out refused to pay. Stingy bunch, they were."
"Honestly… what have you been doing all half the day?! Enough. Hand over the receipt!"
"Yeah, yeah, here ya go."
The white-haired man in the aloha shirt passed the receipt over, completely unfazed by the old man’s scolding. The old man checked the name written on it, then locked it away in a drawer.
"You knew all along, didn’t you—that you’re the only one who actually cares about the boy."
"…What are you talking about?"
"The cram schools and prep schools. All they cared about was the exam results and mock test scores they could buy with money. Unlike you, they weren’t educators."
"I’m no different from those swine!"
"If you were, the boy would never have learned piano, nor would you still be covering his textbook costs after he entered university."
"Hmph! I know nothing of it!"
The old man slammed his desk, shooing the man in the aloha shirt to leave at once.
"Yeah, yeah, I’m going. …Still, funny thing, huh?"
"…What is?"
"Two little characters, and it turns into a letter worth nearly a million yen. World’s priciest message, don’tcha think?"
"Out! Get out, you panderer!"
Locked safely away in the director’s desk drawer was the receipt, now addressed with two extra characters: 『To My Dear Grandfather』.
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