The Man Who Remained — His Second Life Began with a Humble Bow of Apology. - Chapter 78: Suzaku Street.

Suzaku Street.

Rather than calling it lively, it would be more accurate to describe it as noisy, or even boisterous.

Voices calling out to customers burst forth from the countless stalls and shops packed tightly together, overlapping each other from every direction.

Moreover, it wasn’t just the sound that felt overwhelming.

Vendors swung their products around dramatically to catch the eyes of passersby, creating a visual chaos, while the metallic clanging of bells and shrill notes of whistles assaulted their ears, adding to the sense of relentless clamor.

All in all, the entire residential and commercial district in this area felt so brimming with raucous energy that it was almost suffocating.

“…How should I put this… it’s… quite something.”

Ellie muttered, clearly intimidated.

It wasn’t as if she preferred only quiet places, but she certainly didn’t like such excessive commotion. Her expression said it all.

“It really is something. The streets look similar to those around the Azure Dragon Gate, yet the atmosphere is completely different. I mean… is it okay to leave that alone?”

Saying so, Cross cast his gaze towards a particularly rowdy part of the street.

There, a huge, broad-shouldered, bright red oni and an equally muscular dog-eared man covered entirely in body hair were glaring at each other so fiercely that their faces were practically touching.

While the reason for their quarrel was unclear, the cause was obvious even from a distance.

They both held large bottles filled with liquid in their hands, and the oni’s face was flushed so red that it showed through his already crimson skin.

Anyone could guess what had led to this.

“…Hmm. Well, I guess we can leave them be.”

“Is that alright, Cross-san?”

“Yeah. Actually, look over there.”

Following his pointing finger, Ellie turned to look.

However, she didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

“There’s just the usual vendors, people cheering on the fight, and some children walking away…”

“Exactly. Children. The fact that kids are walking around unafraid like it’s nothing shows that this is just everyday life here. If we butt in, it’ll only cause trouble.”

“I see… You really are used to this, aren’t you?”

“Well, I’ve visited quite a number of towns and cities in both this life and the last. You have to be careful about how you interact with locals. I once came across a town where they resolved every dispute with a fistfight.”

“Wow… I wouldn’t want to go there, but hearing about it sounds interesting. Please tell me about those places sometime.”

“Sure, anytime. I don’t mind sharing stories like that.”

Cross smiled as he spoke, and Ellie, caught by his smile, returned it softly.

“Hey there, young man, showing off today, aren’t ya?”

A voice called out from behind them, and Cross and Ellie turned quietly.

Though the wording was rough, there was no malice in it. It sounded more like a teasing comment than an actual complaint.

The man who spoke was grinning at them from inside his stall.

“Oh? Was it an eyesore?”

Cross replied with a sarcastic smile, and the man burst out laughing.

“Nah, not at all. I’m a bit jealous seeing you with such a pretty lady, but I’m a father of three, y’see. I’ve got no time to go hitting on other women. My wife would kill me if I did.”

“Haha. So you do have a reason for calling out to us. Judging from your demeanor… you have business with us?”

“Hey now, don’t rush. Sure, the main point is important, but so is the conversation that leads up to it. Especially when you’re dealing with strangers. You two aren’t from around here, are you?”

At those words, Cross and Ellie flinched slightly.

“Did we do something improper? Like, are we not supposed to walk through the middle of the street?”

Ellie asked timidly.

But the man just shook his head with a hearty smile to reassure her.

“Nah, nothing like that! You just seemed pretty quiet for folks in Suzaku Street. Must be tough, coming here from another town.”

His tone carried a hint of sympathy.

Apparently, he assumed they were from another gate’s district.

“This is the first time I’ve heard of Suzaku Street.”

“We just call it that ourselves. It’s a place where all the hot-blooded, rowdy idiots gather together. That’s Suzaku Street for ya.”

The man declared with great pride.

“I see. Sounds like a fun place.”

“For idiots who can enjoy it, it’s the best place in the world. I’m having fun here, after all.”

“So then… you’re trying to sell us something, right? Shouldn’t you get on with your pitch?”

Cross’s words brought a sly grin to the man’s face – like a hunter who had caught his prey.

“Yeah, I want to sell you something. But see, what I sell is the food of this street. Outsiders like you wouldn’t know what it is, and you can’t want something you’ve never heard of. Besides, business only works when both sides gain. Even if I force you to buy something now, it means nothing. A real transaction is where both seller and buyer are happy, and it leads to a long and good relationship. Do you get what I’m saying?”

Cross and Ellie shook their heads silently.

“In other words…”

With that, the man pulled out two skewers of meat and held them out.

“Eat. Just try it. The first one’s on me.”

Cross and Ellie froze for a moment before smiling and accepting the skewers.

“Well then, I’ll happily accept your treat.”

“Yeah. And the second one, you buy.”

The man flashed a triumphant smile.

“If it’s good, sure.”

Cross bit into the skewer.

To put it bluntly – it tasted ordinary.

There was nothing particularly special about it, nor was it unique to Suzaku Street, or even to Hourai Village. It was simply grilled meat.

That said, it was tasty enough. Nothing new, but certainly delicious. Cut pork, skewered, salted, and grilled – the flavor matched that simple image.

Still, within the chaotic but cheerful atmosphere of Suzaku Street, even ordinary food felt strangely satisfying.

Cross spoke up.

“Hey, what exactly makes this unique to Suzaku Street?”

“Huh? That’s for you to find out after buying it. Don’t you think ‘you win by saying it first’ is a great phrase?”

“Hah… I get it. Yeah, that’s pretty fitting for this place.”

Cross let out a wry smile.

“Gahaha! Well, I made it here in Suzaku Street, so it’s technically true that you can only get it here.”

“Yeah yeah, thanks for the food. By the way, is it that obvious we’re outsiders? I thought we blended in pretty well.”

Given that many non-humans wore different styles, there should have been no clear reason to single them out.

“Easy, kid. Real easy. You know why?”

“Nope. That’s why I’m asking.”

“Heh… it’s because the lady there is incredibly beautiful.”

With that, he pointed straight at Ellie.

“I know every pretty woman in Suzaku Street—”

At that moment, a thunderous noise erupted, cutting off his boast.

It was an explosive, earsplitting sound, like lightning striking.

The source was right behind the vendor – a stout, middle-aged woman holding a smoking frying pan.

“You! Flirting with customers again just because she’s pretty?! I don’t care if you get hated, but don’t drag down our sales with your stupidity!”

She shouted at the man, who cowered, clutching his head.

“Sorry, kids. My idiot husband was bothering your girlfriend. Don’t worry, I’ll beat some sense into him.”

Huh? There’s more punishment coming?

Cross couldn’t help thinking that.

“Uh, she’s not my girlfriend, and he wasn’t bothering us. We’re fine.”

Cross spoke politely, trying to defend the man’s dignity.

But unfortunately, his words didn’t seem to register.

“Oh, so he was about to bother her, huh? Listen, miss, forget this big bald oaf. Go for someone like this young man here – handsome, probably has status and money. Otherwise, you’ll just suffer.”

“Um, I…”

Ellie tried to speak up.

But she stopped herself.

The man sent her a fleeting glance, silently conveying:

‘It’s pointless to say anything. You’ll just make it worse. Don’t worry about me – I’m used to it.’

His gentle eyes spoke louder than words.

Ellie felt a pang of sadness and simply nodded to the woman’s words.

“That’s right. Hey, you – slightly handsome guy. Here, make yourself look good for your girl. I’ll give you a discount, so buy something.”

Before he knew it, Cross was nodding obediently, and by the time they parted, he had bought so much they were waving him off with big smiles.

Inside the bag was an assortment of skewered meats – not just pork, but chicken and other unidentifiable textures, with various seasonings. It felt less like food and more like opening a box of toys.

“How is it, Cross-san?”

Ellie asked with a cheerful smile, clearly in a good mood.

“Hmm… I’m not sure what meat this is. Doesn’t taste familiar. Definitely not hound. Not so strong that it feels unpleasant either. Seasoning’s… kinda chili-peppery?”

“Hooh. I can’t imagine the taste at all from that.”

“Well, I’m not exactly sure myself. But it’s tasty. Want to try?”

“Yes, please.”

Cross offered the skewer, only to realise she was already holding her own, so he brought his skewer to her mouth.

“Here, say ‘ahh’.”

“Ahh… Spicy… no, not that spicy… but it kind of is… Hmm, it’s good.”

“Right? A bit of heat, but it doesn’t linger. What about yours?”

“The thick sauce is delicious. Probably the best one here.”

With that, Ellie offered her skewer to Cross’s mouth.

Without a word, he took a bite, closing his eyes to savour it.

“…Mmm… Yeah, that’s good. Wish we’d gotten more of this one.”

“Right?! It has that junk-food appeal that’s really satisfying.”

“Yeah. Nice to see Hourai has food like this too.”

They laughed as they ate while walking, and before they knew it, all their skewers were gone.

“Here, give me your trash. I’ll throw it away if I see a bin.”

“Thanks. But you know… after eating something savoury like that, I kinda want something sweet now.”

“I understand. But from what I heard, there aren’t many dessert options here…”

“That’s a shame. Maybe we can get something near Azure Dragon Gate on the way back… wait. Is there trouble over there?”

Ellie murmured, spotting a tense gathering nearby.

While Suzaku Street was always noisy, and fistfights were hardly surprising, this felt different. There was a sense of unease that even outsiders like Cross and Ellie could sense.

Something clearly out of the ordinary was happening.

They approached the small crowd, peeking through gaps to see.

There, they saw five rough-looking male beasts, their appearances as intimidating as their demeanor.

“…A fight…? No, it looks like… a woman is surrounded by those men. They’re harassing her, I think. Cross-san, what should w—”

But by the time Ellie turned to ask him, Cross was no longer by her side.

“…Well, that figures. Must’ve been a pretty woman in trouble.”

Understanding his quick reaction, Ellie let out a small, exasperated smile and began walking towards the commotion alone.