"Cross-dressing performance?!"
Goro's hands trembled. The light paper slip in his hand felt as heavy as a mountain.
Just picking up the slip had taken all of Goro's strength, his voice quivering.
He had previously felt a bit regretful about not drawing a private commission, but now that he had, Goro couldn't bring himself to be happy.
The main reason was that the content of this commission was too embarrassing.
A cross-dressing performance? Was that something a respectable person would do?
Goro had intended to refuse the commission outright, but then he saw the reward, and he fell silent.
Commission reward: 70 points.
Multiplied by the blind box commission's 2x bonus, that was 140 points.
Add the difficulty subsidy of 10 points...
All calculated, this single commission alone would yield a reward of 150 points!
Hiss—
Terrifying indeed!
Goro gasped, trembling as he sat on a stool, his gaze wavering. He wanted to refuse, but couldn't bring himself to, because the reward for this task was simply too much!
If he completed this private commission, he could successfully borrow books and catch the golden age of agricultural development on Watatsumi Island after the war.
Conversely, if he refused this private commission, he would have to complete at least 24 more similar weed-pulling tasks, and he definitely wouldn't accumulate 100 points today.
When personal dignity clashed with the future of Watatsumi Island...
Goro thought seriously for a moment. Actually... sacrificing a little for the greater good wasn't such a big deal, once in a while.
"Miss store clerk, I accept this private commission!"
Goro took a deep breath, stood up, and walked towards the counter with the steps of someone going to their execution, a flicker of determination in his eyes.
"Very well, Mr. Gorou, it is registered. Please take this Arakawa Hall wooden plaque and proceed to the Grand Narukami Shrine to contact Guuji Yae..."
The shrine maiden clerk's smile widened. This was Guuji Yae's grand scheme.
First, she'd let this customer draw an ordinary commission, letting him experience the difficulty of earning points, then use the generous reward of a private commission to stimulate his nerves, making it hard to refuse.
When it came to understanding human nature, Guuji Yae had certainly figured it out.
Having worked with Guuji Yae for so long, the shrine maiden clerk was very familiar with her ways.
Although she enjoyed playing tricks on others for amusement, she never truly harmed anyone, and after each incident, Guuji Yae would provide ample compensation to the recipient.
Holding the Arakawa Hall wooden plaque, Goro made his way to the front of the Grand Narukami Shrine atop Mount Yougou.
He looked at the tall, magnificent torii gate, then at the Arakawa Hall wooden plaque in his hand. Goro let out a heavy breath and stepped resolutely onto the grounds of the Grand Narukami Shrine.
"Sir, how may I assist you?"
A shrine maiden, responsible for greeting worshippers, approached and asked politely.
"I... I'm here to see Guuji Yae..."
Goro's voice trembled slightly as he spoke.
"Guuji Yae is busy with matters and is not currently meeting outsiders. If you have prayers or need guidance, we have shrine maidens specifically in charge of such matters..."
"This is Arakawa Hall's wooden plaque. I've accepted Guuji Yae's private commission..."
"This way, please. Please wait in the side hall for a moment, and I will inform Guuji Yae."
Goro was led to a side hall to wait by a shrine maiden. While the shrine maiden went to notify Guuji Yae, Goro felt restless and paced the room to relieve his inner tension.
Suddenly, on a coat rack near the wall, Goro spotted an exquisitely made dark green long dress. His heart skipped a beat...
How familiar was the style of this dress?
Goro thought for a moment. Wasn't this the outfit Shina wore on her standee?
Could it be...
Creak—
At that moment, the door to the side hall was pushed open, and Yae Miko walked in.
"My, my, it's the adorable dog general. Please, have a seat, have a seat..."
Yae Miko strolled forward, appraising Goro, her smile almost impossible to conceal.
"Guuji Yae, let's dispense with the pleasantries. Let's start the task quickly. For the next two hours, I will cooperate as much as possible..."
Goro frowned, as if encountering his nemesis. When the other's scrutinizing gaze fell upon him, Goro almost bristled.
"I never expected that the dog general would be so looking forward to a cross-dressing performance. Truly, one cannot judge a book by its cover!"
Yae Miko said with a smile, continuing to observe his reaction.
"..."
Goro inwardly declared that he just wanted to end this painful ordeal as quickly as possible.
Cross-dressing?
He was the General of Watatsumi Island, after all! How could he be interested in such unorthodox activities?
Goro: All sacrifices are for the future of Watatsumi Island!
"Save your pointless words. This is merely out of necessity..."
Low EQ: Can't argue, can't argue!
High EQ: Save your pointless words.
At Goro's urging, Yae Miko got straight to the point.
"General Gorou, your task is simple. As Miss Shina is away on urgent business and cannot attend the fan meeting, you are required to wear this dress, put on makeup to resemble Miss Shina, and attend the fan meeting in her stead..."
Yae Miko took the dark green long dress from the coat rack and placed it into General Gorou's arms.
"This task is not difficult, but there's one thing I must make clear beforehand: while portraying Miss Shina, you are not allowed to reveal your true identity to anyone, under any circumstances. If you expose your true identity, I have every reason to refuse payment of points..."
"Of course, if your performance is outstanding, I might even add bonus points. So... General Gorou, do your best, this Guuji will not treat you unfairly. Generous points are beckoning you..."
First a warning, then a promise. Using both stick and carrot was a common tactic of those in power.
Colloquially known as: hitting with a stick and then offering a candy.
Yae Miko even dangled a carrot in front of him.
"I understand... Where is the changing room?"
Goro clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them. For the future of Watatsumi Island, he would endure this humiliation.
"Over there."
Yae Miko nodded with satisfaction and pointed.
Goro, holding the dark green long dress, walked towards the room Yae Miko indicated. When he emerged after changing, he found that several more shrine maidens had suddenly appeared in the room...