"My Red-Crimson Pestle, A-Chou, and I were obviously one in heart and body! We should've counted as a single contestant! Nooo!" After hearing the referee, Arataki Itto hurriedly shouted an explanation.
"Sorry, Contestant Arataki Itto. Please come again next time. Now, would the second group of contestants please take the stage." The referee ignored Arataki Itto's explanation, leaving him no choice but to leave the arena with Red-Crimson Pestle and A-Chou, his face full of dejection.
"He did handle that part pretty well."
For Arataki Itto to have become Kuki Shinobu's boss, he naturally had his good points. One of them was that he never made trouble without reason. If some people had been in this situation, they probably would have kept arguing, but Arataki Itto honestly accepted the result.
As for that dejected look on his face, with his personality, he would soon recover and go right back to his carefree self.
"I wonder how Linaya's side is going? Let's go take a look. Oh, right, and comfort Itto while we're at it."
After Lumine brought Aguara back, Paimon immediately remembered Linaya. But just as she was about to head over, she saw Arataki Itto off to the side with a dejected look on his face and immediately flew over, ready to comfort him.
"This great one's journey... actually fell at the very first step." Arataki Itto leaned against a stone pillar, wallowing in self-pity, while A-Chou, carrying Red-Crimson Pestle on his back, leisurely wagged his tail beside him.
"A-Chou, Red-Crimson Pestle, don't you worry. Next time, this great one will bring you back and win fair and square. Since we've come all the way to this Kaeleno, this great one will take you around nearby and let you properly experience the local customs."
Arataki Itto was Arataki Itto