Chapter 27 The Merchant Guild’s Unexpected Tremble and My New Business Plan
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The day after the ‘Tremble-D*do-Buddy’ was banned from sale, I’d managed to pull myself together, thanks to Lily and Tania. There’s no point in moping, right? Showing them that pathetic side of me was a one-day-only thing. I owe them that much.
So, I took a moment to confirm what I needed to do. Listing out the points we’d discussed the day before made the path clear:
* Final Goal: Rebuilding the business’s management.
* Interim Goal ①: Developing a new product.
* Interim Goal ②: Re-investigating dangerous magic items.
* Interim Goal ③: Minimizing the damage from the sales ban.
* Stretch Goal (or maybe just a wish): Getting sales restarted.
Above all else, the Final Goal of ‘Rebuilding the business’s management’ is paramount. What I needed as the owner of the magic shop ‘Harvest’ wasn’t to hold a grudge against the Church or whine about my bad luck. I needed to look forward and focus on running this shop.
To do that, I’d need Interim Goal ①: ‘Developing a new product.’ I have to create something that can make up for the profit the ‘Tremble-D*do-Buddy’ was supposed to bring in. I already had plenty of ideas, so it shouldn’t be that hard.
But development needs to be preceded by Interim Goal ②: ‘Re-investigating dangerous magic items.’ Getting another product banned would just be idiotic, so I’ve gotta steer clear of danger. Tania’s looking into it, and I plan to talk to my masters soon. I’ll get to that later, though.
And finally, the thing I absolutely had to handle immediately was Interim Goal ③: ‘Minimizing the damage from the sales ban.’ I already had Tania cancel the request with the Adventurer’s Guild. Next up: contacting the Tasogare Merchant Guild.
I just couldn’t help adding that last one, the ‘Stretch Goal,’ out of pure stubbornness. Maybe if I improve the item’s safety and the Church gives its approval, I’ve got a shot. It’s a long shot, and I can’t dedicate all my time to it, but a guy can dream.
With that settled, I left Lily in charge of the shop and immediately headed for the Tasogare Merchant Guild. It’s unpaid work for her, but it’s an emergency, and Lily told me not to worry about it. If I didn’t stop the large order of Metag Stone shards, my shop would be drowning in useless materials.
Stopping the trade abruptly would cause problems for them too, and I’d get a bad reputation. It was a drag, but the longer I put it off, the worse the damage would be. Carrying a heavy sense of unease, I knocked on the Merchant Guild’s door.
”Excuse me, I’m from the magic shop ‘Harvest,’ a client of yours. Is Sera-chan, my representative, around? I need to discuss something with her.”
”Ah, Sera-chan? She should be out on her rounds right now. Could you wait a bit?” a muscle-bound man who looked exactly like a porter answered me as I stepped into the office. The Tasogare Merchant Guild is a wholesaler, not a retail store, so the staff is mostly made up of physically strong guys like him. It probably depends on the kind of business they handle, I guess.
I was really glad my rep was Sera-chan. I don’t have a thing for harassing men, and she’s probably the most responsive rep they have.
After waiting a while, a young female merchant returned, pulling a cart. Her brown, semi-long hair was in a braid, and her main charms were her large, round glasses and freckles. This was Sera-chan.
She set the cart down, sighed, and wiped the sweat from her brow with a handkerchief she pulled from her pocket. It was the bright, honest sweat of a young, healthy, and hard-working woman. The porter who’d spoken to me noticed her and rushed over, probably telling her about my visit. Finally, she turned and seemed to realize I was there.
”Kento-san? What brings you all the way to the office?” she asked, surprised.
”Hey, Sera-chan. Ah, well, I’ve got some circumstances we need to talk over…” I trailed off.
”…I understand. I’ll hear you out right away,” she said. Because I didn’t try to tease or sexually harass her, Sera-chan must have immediately figured out this was important. She efficiently put away her outdoor equipment and guided me to the reception room. That room, with its fairly expensive-looking furnishings, showed just how large the Tasogare Merchant Guild’s operations were.
After seating me on the sofa, Sera-chan told me to “Just wait a moment,” and fetched some tea. It was good tea, too—fragrant with a clean, slightly bitter aftertaste, as you’d expect from a merchant guild of this size.
Of course, it’s not the exact same tea plant as back in my old world, but finding these similar cultural touches is somehow reassuring. Plus, there are no weird rules here about not touching the tea leaves, which is a nice change.
Sera-chan was thirsty from her outdoor work, too, so we both took a sip before starting the conversation.
”So, what did you want to discuss?” she asked, looking ready.
”Right. The thing is, those Metag Stone shards we had set up for regular delivery… I won’t be able to buy them anymore…” I admitted.
”Huh? What in the world happened?” Sera-chan questioned, clearly confused. It was understandable, considering I’d just placed a huge order a little while ago. I decided to be honest with the situation.
I told her that the Metag Stone was the material for the ‘Tremble-D*do-Buddy,’ and that the Church had forced a sales ban on the item. I really didn’t want to reveal the materials for my products, but if I stopped the trade without a good reason, it would definitely hurt future dealings.
I couldn’t have them thinking my shop was running out of cash. It was a tough call for ‘Harvest,’ but since no one else can sell the item anyway, even if the method is leaked, it should be within acceptable limits.
”No way… the Church did that…” Sera-chan gasped.
”Yeah. I was careful not to catch the eye of the military police, but I didn’t think about that angle. I never imagined this would happen…” I sighed.
”My condolences, Kento-san… Well, let’s stop the delivery of the Metag Stone shards immediately. We might have to charge you for the portion we’ve already prepared, but I’ll go to management and try to arrange things so you don’t have to bear the cost. Fortunately, if we crush it into powder, there’s a demand for it, and it’s a manageable amount for us to move.”
I could practically see Sera-chan’s mind racing, calculating the inventory of Metag Stone and how to redirect the supply that was meant for my shop. As she said, the material is generally used as a catalyst for alchemy or ink for drawing magic circles. For a guild as big as Tasogare, it wouldn’t be a catastrophic loss.
”Ah, that’s a huge help. I’ll be sure to repay the favor when I develop a new product. Though I don’t know if it’ll be as big a hit as the ‘Tremble-D*do-Buddy’…” I said gratefully.
”Please don’t worry about it,” Sera-chan responded, smiling brightly. “‘Harvest’ has never been late on a payment, and you’ve been expanding your business so quickly; you’re a great trading partner for us. Besides, you were kind enough to laugh off my past mistake.”
She looked so dependable now, totally different from when she was a rookie. But honestly, I felt indebted to her for always working so hard to secure all those weird materials for me. I should definitely give her a proper thank you once this whole mess calms down.
Maybe I should give her a ‘Tremble-D*do-Buddy’ itself? The sales were banned, but the act of giving it away wasn’t specifically forbidden. Giving one to a serious, hard-working girl like her is probably fine. Or maybe a new product would make her blush and be happier? Anyway, that’s all a worry for after the crisis.
Finally, able to spare a thought for sexual harassment again, I picked up my cup and took another sip of the tea. Yeah, it really is delicious. I might buy some when I have the breathing room. I should make a note of that.
”So, is that everything you wanted to talk about?” Sera-chan asked, professionally.
”Yeah. Sorry for dropping in so suddenly,” I replied.
”Not at all, not at all. ‘Harvest’ has so many fans. I’d love for us to continue having a great business relationship—…!”
It was just as I was about to wrap things up and leave. Sera-chan, who had also been looking for a way to end the chat, suddenly stopped talking and her face completely changed. I could see the blood drain from her face—she went utterly pale. What in the world happened to her?
”Sera-chan…?” I asked, concerned.
”Ah, I-I’m so sorry! I j-just realized something!” she stammered, frantically. “Um, y-you said the ‘Tremble-D*do-Buddy’ was banned, but does that mean you can’t sell it to us for wholesale, either…?!”
”Huh? Oh, yeah, that too. Since the constables intervened directly, I won’t be selling the ‘Tremble-D*do-Buddy’ to the Tasogare Merchant Guild anymore either,” I confirmed.
”W-What a disaster…! P-Please, Kento-san, just wait in this room! I-I’ll call my superiors! Manager! Manager!!!”
With that cry, Sera-chan darted out of the room, her brown braid bouncing wildly. I was left there, totally dumbfounded. The Manager? That’s probably the most important person here, right? I didn’t even meet him the first time I came here to set up an account…”
—
Summary:
The Church’s ban on the ‘Tremble-D*do-Buddy’ forced Kento into damage control mode. He bravely faced the Tasogare Merchant Guild to cancel a major ‘Metag Stone’ order, which was the item’s key material. The calm, professional discussion with Sera-chan suddenly exploded into frantic panic when she realized the full business implication for the Guild.
—
Character Insight:
Kento’s quick pivot to ‘new product’ development shows his deep commitment to his business and staff. He’s determined, but his mind still wanders to sexually-charged thank-yous for Sera.
—
Behind the Scene:
The Tasogare Merchant Guild, a powerful wholesaler, likely had a larger plan for Kento’s hit product than Kento even knew about, meaning the sales ban is a massive blow to their own profits, not just Kento’s. This explains Sera’s alarming reaction to the news.
Notes:
• Tania – An Elf adventurer who, despite her race’s reputation for low sex drive, is secretly quite passionate. She initially seemed ‘wasted’ (emotionally dry) to her friend Raika, but was easily introduced to the pleasure-items sold at ‘Harvest.’ She is easily embarrassed and attempts to maintain a dignified facade, despite her recent, frequent purchases. She wears practical but light armor over a simple cloth tunic and short pants, highlighting her grace and agility. Her primary relationship is one of friendly senior-junior with Raika.
• Lily – the sl*ve and primary experiment subject for the magic shop, ‘Harvest.’ She has striking pink hair, Blue eyes, medium breasts, which the Protagonist associates with being ‘wanton’. She has a working knowledge of magic, which she kept hidden from the slave trader.
• Sera – A young, earnest salesperson from the Tasogare Merchant Guild, Kento’s supplier. She is characterized by her braided brown hair, large round glasses, and freckles. She’s serious about her job and easily flustered, especially by Kento’s adult goods business. Looks like Onodera from certain series.
• Kento – The owner of the magic tool shop ‘Harvest,’ which discretely sells adult goods. He’s a former overworked, ordinary salaryman from modern Japan who was suddenly transported (isekai’d) to this fantasy world. He has dark hair and an unremarkable appearance, typically wearing a plain, slightly suspicious-looking shop owner’s clothes looks like Kazuma Satou from certain series. He has a minimal amount of magic power, enough to craft his specialty items.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply