An elderly man was walking through a remote town that was abuzz with excitement from the annual Flying Board competition. Smiling at the bustling atmosphere around him, he looked at the stalls lined up in a row.
[Every year on this day, this remote town becomes this lively. Well, there aren't many entertainment facilities around here, so I guess this would be time to make money for people who run stalls... Well, there are also those idiots who are actually here for the race. Yo, Monozuki, you making money?]
[Even if I do make quite the profit, that's still troubling. Being too focused on the business would make me unable to see the race. For 40 years, I've never given up on this best position, so I will make a moderate profit and watch the race with booze in hand.]
[You sure like that race as usual. Anyhow, I'll take one of your skewers.]
[Yeah, in exchange, gimme some vegetables next time.]
[Buzz off. If you're gonna go that way, I'll take two of yours...]
After chatting with the shopkeeper, whom he knew well, the man took two skewers from the grill and began to eat them. The Flying Board is now underway and there are few customers in the area.
While eating his skewers, the man talks to the shopkeeper.
[Even so, for a spot you claim to be the best position, there's no one else here.]
[Well, that would indeed be how it looked for amateurs. Especially the qualifying rounds, it's hard to watch it from here. However, the final offense and defense before the end goal is just above this area. It's no exaggeration to say that the team who wins the battle above this spot wins, which makes this a hot spot.]
[I see... Found any interesting ones?]
[Yeah, I found some promising ones this year. A young trio made up of a guy and two girls. I don't recognize them, so they're probably first-time participants, but I got the vibe that they're going to achieve something.]
[I see... Well, I guess it's best to take your prediction with a grain of salt.]
[Oi, oi, I'm the only one who can predict the winner of the unpredictable Flying Board competition with a reasonable accuracy rate, aren't I?]
Hearing the shopkeeper's confident declaration, the man wryly smiled, before a teasing smile appeared on his lips.
[Not like you can be proud of your own performance after all.]
[Shut up! That aside, where's your wife today? She finally got fed up with your eccentricity?]
[Unfortunately for you, our marriage is still going strong. Today, she got invited by a friend of ours to visit the Symphonia Kingdom.]
[Symphonia? That's a long way from here. For a poor farmer family to go there, you sure that's alright?]
[Yeah, we've got an old friend who's a great Spirit Mage, and he's good at Teleportation Magic. I think they should be shopping around this time.]
Chuckling at the words of the shopkeeper, who can be described as a close friend of his, the man continued eating his skewer. Thereupon, after the shopkeeper nodded his head, he crouched down and took out a bottle of alcohol and a cup from a small Magic Box.
Then, eating the skewers he had grilled himself, he began drinking alcohol.
[Oi, you delinquent, what's with you bringing out booze here?]
[The qualifying rounds have already started, and I'm busy watching the race, so I'm closing up the stall. Besides, a stern old man is camped out in front of my stall and no customers are coming in. Come on, drink with me.]
[Geez, what a helpless b*stard you are. Good grief, I guess I'll also bring out some snacks... We got fire here, so I'll grill some dried squid...]
Receiving the cup that the stall owner handed him, the man also took out some dried snacks from his small Magic Box.
[Speaking of which, Shigenobu. Are you not gonna join the Flying Board competition?]
[Me? As expected, that's just too much for a man my age. Well, from the point of view of long-lived species, my age is no different than a child's.]
[There are older contestants too though? The fact that both the elderly and the youth can compete is the beauty of the Flying Board.]
[So says the one who isn't over there racing.]
[I'm too busy watching the races after all.]
[Then, I'm busy watching the races too. You mind if I grill fish?]
[Oi, oi, the fish's stink would stick on the grill net... If you're gonna grill one, grill my portion too.]
Chuckling again at his buddy who was complaining even as he made room on the grill net, the man... Okura Shigenobu began to grill fishes he had taken out of his Magic Box.
Little did he know that what awaits him after this... would be an unexpected encounter with someone of the same homeworld...