Hot Spring Inn

It was nearly dark by evening. Shuichi had become far more familiar with Konoha's streets, but he still hadn't solved his problem of finding temporary work.

It was perfectly normal not to find the ideal job in Konoha. No matter how good Konoha was, it was still a place for training ninja; it could never compare to a major city like the Daimyo's Mansion.

Shuichi headed toward the final stop in his job-hunting plan: Konoha's central leisure district.

Most of the entertainment facilities that enriched the lives of Konoha Ninja and villagers were gathered here. Shuichi knew that places which would later become famous, such as Ichiraku Ramen, Yamanaka Flower Shop, and taverns, were all nearby.

Only after searching through the original owner's memories did Shuichi learn that many other large establishments were currently the favorites of Konoha's villagers, including Tea Art Street, the Theater, and the Amusement Place.

During winter and the coming spring, however, the busiest establishments were undoubtedly the hot spring inns.

Shuichi's final targets were these luxury establishments in Konoha. He was too young to work at a tavern, knew nothing about tea arts, and had no idea what he could do at a theater.

Without hesitating, he looked around and walked up to the entrance of the largest hot spring inn. The inn, called "Noboribetsu Onsen Takinoya," was already brightly lit. After dinnertime was when every hot spring inn was at its busiest.

Shuichi walked straight inside. This time, the receptionist was a cute-looking young waitress. Seeing a child enter alone, she assumed he was just a playful kid.

In Konoha, even ordinary ninja could only afford to visit hot springs occasionally. Children usually came to soak only when accompanied by adults.

"Little brother, we're about to have a lot of guests arriving. Could you go outside and play?" the receptionist said gently.

"Big sister, it's like this. I only recently started receiving the village's living allowance, but I used it all up in no time. I'm almost starving to death now. Could you let me do some temporary work here? I work quickly and learn fast. Just give me a meal to eat," Shuichi said pitifully.

Before the young woman could react, Shuichi immediately added:

"My family were nobles in the Land of Fire, really! We even have records at home describing high-end hot spring experiences. I know the service procedures of the best hot springs in both the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Springs. If you can't decide, why not report this to your Manager? It would be such a pity if you missed out on me!"

The young woman was indeed a little troubled after hearing this. After thinking it over, she went to speak with the Manager.

Before long, the Manager arrived at the reception desk. She was a middle-aged woman wearing heavy makeup, and since Shuichi was not a customer, she showed little expression on her face.

"Child, why did you come to our hot spring inn looking for work? Where are your parents?" Perhaps because there had not been much time, the receptionist had only briefly introduced Shuichi and mentioned his claim that he could help retain customers.

Shuichi understood instantly. In his previous life, he had not been the kind of smooth social butterfly with friends everywhere, but he understood quite a bit about the ways of the world.

The Manager was probing around for Shuichi's detailed circumstances before deciding what to do.

"My father was a Jonin. Not long ago, he and my mother both died in the war. Because I was young, I didn't realize at first that the living allowance was limited, so I had no choice but to come out and find work.

"Most places turned me down because I'm too young, so I came here to try. I really think I can help your establishment.

"And my requirements are very low. For the short term, some food as compensation will be enough. If I can truly help increase the number of returning customers, your inn will benefit too." Shuichi put on a somewhat distressed expression, gradually steering the conversation toward a hopeful, pleading look.

The effect of Shuichi's words was immediate.

The middle-aged Manager had spent many years in Konoha and worked in a service industry built on dealing with people. It was not as though she did not know how those wild children his age usually behaved.

Shuichi's string of clear, well-organized statements did not sound like something an ordinary civilian family could have raised.

Then another, even more important factor completely tipped the scales in her mind. When she heard that Shuichi's father had been a Jonin, a kind smile became visible even beneath her thick makeup.

After so many years in this ninja village, most villagers knew that children from families with high-ranking ninja were very likely to become ninja themselves in the future.

Especially since Shuichi's father had been a Jonin. Such families were given priority consideration by the village when children enrolled in the Ninja Academy.

Shuichi and the middle-aged Manager reached a basic agreement after only a short conversation. Soon, the Manager called over a young woman in a kimono and had her take Shuichi to learn about the inn's service procedures and precautions.

The Manager agreed to Shuichi's request for one dinner a day. Perhaps considering that Shuichi might have an unlimited future ahead of him, she also promised him a daily wage of one hundred ryo.

After the discussion, Shuichi could not help but sigh. Whether it was training or work, methods were more important than effort. He would have to develop the habit of thinking more during his future life as a ninja. If he worked desperately in the wrong direction, he might as well not do it at all.

The young woman leading Shuichi around was named Kyoko, a full-time employee of the inn. Perhaps because the Manager had instructed her beforehand, she explained the service procedures and precautions to Shuichi as though he were an adult.

The contents were not complicated. The main procedures were standard: storing guests' clothes, reminding them to shower before entering the baths, checking the water temperature at regular intervals, and so on. Shuichi listened attentively. After memorizing everything, he demonstrated the general process to Kyoko, leaving her quite satisfied.

Next, she took Shuichi to the changing room. Since most of the employees here were women and the kimonos were designed for adults, Shuichi could only put on the smallest women's kimono available. Even then, it was still far too large.

Uh, he was only around 1.1 meters tall right now, so he could only roll up the sleeves and pull the sash tight after shortening it considerably.

After around seven in the evening, more and more guests began arriving at the hot spring inn. Some were probably regulars, and they were somewhat surprised to see Shuichi receiving them. Still, they did not pay much attention to it. People who came to soak in hot springs generally arrived in groups and mostly chatted with their friends while bathing.

His first day of work went fairly smoothly. At around eleven that night, after all the guests had left, Shuichi helped tidy up the miscellaneous items before returning home.

With a free dinner every night and five thousand ryo available to spend each month, he could eat meat every day or two to strengthen his body. Once the pressure of survival was resolved, life suddenly seemed much brighter.

Whenever his daily schedule was packed full, time always seemed to pass quickly.

After December passed, Konoha Year 41 arrived right behind it.

Shuichi woke up on time every morning to go running and train his body. In the afternoons, Ishikawa Tatsuki and Takashima Shota often came looking for him to play together.

Only after several days did he remember that he had asked the Toy Shop Owner to help him find rubber bouncy balls. When he went to the store, the owner said he had gotten them three days ago, but had been unable to find Shuichi.

Shuichi apologized to the Toy Shop Owner in embarrassment. The owner did not hold it against him and said that if he wanted more of those balls next time, he could come tell him.