Chapter 28 The Manager and the Menace of the Merchant Guild
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Manager! Manager, you must hear this!”
Inside the bustling Tasogare Merchant Guild office, Sera frantically demanded an audience with her superior. Kento had just dropped the bomb: the “Tremble-D**do-Buddy” (TDB) was officially halting sales.
This was a five-alarm fire. The Harvest shop’s items were absolutely flying off the shelves. The only two ways to get one were either enduring Kento’s charmingly inappropriate antics right at his storefront or, more discreetly, through the Tasogare Merchant Guild.
The Guild, leveraging its massive advantage, had been selling the TDB to the wealthiest ladies in the capital—the wives of Great Merchants and even noblewomen. The TDB, in particular, was a massive hit, and thanks to it, the Guild had managed to push through other deals and favors that would have been impossible before. Now that the TDB was off the market?
Things were going to get messy, and fast. Sure, the other products were still popular enough, but this was the jewel in the crown. She just had to tell the Manager about this crisis immediately!
”Manager, there you are!”
”Oh, Sera, what’s the fuss? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Badatt, the Manager of the Tasogare Merchant Guild, exclaimed, surprised by Sera’s anxious, hurried knock and burst entrance. He lifted his head from his stack of papers, his small eyes widening as his considerable stomach jiggled.
This man, with his slick, oily face, looked exactly like the villainous, greedy merchant everyone imagined—the kind who’d likely cackle out a “Guh-fufufu!” His fingers, plump as cream buns, were laden with blindingly shiny rings, and his neck, mostly swallowed by his jowls, was draped in layers of clanking necklaces.
In reality, the Tasogare Merchant Guild was an old, respectable institution in the Royal Capital, and Badatt was the seventh generation to run it. His only real flaw was his absolutely terrible taste in clothes.
Sera, of course, was used to Badatt’s eccentric style, and she knew he was a manager who genuinely listened to his employees. That’s why she blurted out the news, unable to contain herself.
”M-Manager, it’s about the ‘Tremble-D**do-Buddy’…! The ‘Tremble-D**do-Buddy’ sales have been halted!”
”T-the ‘Tremble-D**do-Buddy’…?”
Badatt was completely taken aback. The young woman he’d mentored since she was a girl had just rushed in shouting about a “D**do-Buddy.” Oh, the poor thing.
He figured he’d probably been working her too hard lately. She was so serious that she’d never admit to being tired.
”There, there, Sera. Why don’t we take a break? Have a warm cup of tea and a proper nap…”
”What on earth are you talking about, sir? T-This is serious! The owner of the Harvest magic shop is here now, and he says the Church has ordered a halt to the TDB’s sales!”
”What?”
Badatt, who had actually stood up to prepare tea for her, realized this was much bigger than a tired employee. The Harvest magic shop was the one that was the buzz of the capital, selling those peculiar items.
Badatt was always getting asked about them during his own negotiations, and the profits had been enormous.
Because of the nature of the products, he’d mostly let his female staff and his wife handle the sales to their social circles. He hadn’t bothered to learn the details, but he knew he should have.
”I understand. I’ll speak with the shop owner. My apologies, but I’m not familiar with the product. A sample would be a great help, actually.”
”We have the demonstration sample we use for customers! I’ll bring it right away!”
”Yes, please do that.”
* * *
A few minutes later, Badatt and Sera sat down with Kento.
Badatt nearly collapsed when Sera sprinted back into the room, clutching a very explicit ‘wand’ in her hand, but he managed to compose himself. He might look like a wicked, gold-plated merchant, but he was actually a capable manager with good sense.
”It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Badatt, the Manager of this Tasogare Merchant Guild. I apologize for meeting you under such stressful circumstances,” Badatt offered, attempting a formal greeting.
”I’m Kento, the owner of the Harvest magic shop. No worries at all, the pleasure is mine,” Kento returned easily.
This Harvest shop owner looked like a perfectly normal, pleasant young man. Magic users and artificers were usually a strange bunch, full of quirks, but Kento seemed completely conventional.
Yet, this was the man who had developed and sold that stick. The world really was a baffling place, even at Badatt’s age.
Kento, for his part, was thinking, Well, look at the classic, corrupt merchant who’s finally shown up. He had a mental image of Badatt holding the TDB, cackling a “Guh-fufufu!” while selling it.
Still, for selling adult magic items, there’s no one better. He even wondered if Badatt might be a kindred spirit in his own questionable hobby, though he suspected the sensible Badatt would gently admonish him instead.
”S-So, the, er, the ‘Tremble-D**do-Buddy,’ was it? You say the Church forced a halt to its sales? I’m truly sorry, but while we have many customers for your product, I haven’t personally handled it. My female staff and my wife manage those sales. Could you explain what exactly the issue with the item is?” Badatt blurted, anxious for details.
”Of course,” Kento replied, accepting the TDB from Sera. He was pumped. He was talking business with the Merchant Guild Manager, and a lecherous-looking guy like Badatt, no less! This was a huge opportunity to push his products!
”First, this product, the ‘Tremble-D**do-Buddy,’ is the latest item in our popular ‘D**do-Buddy’ series. The biggest difference from the older models is this. If I press this switch, well, look…”
Kento pressed the switch, and the ‘wand’ started vibrating with a whirring sound. Badatt watched the ridiculous scene, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
”Isn’t that incredible? With this, a woman can easily reach a profound release. It can, of course, be used just like a regular ‘D**do-Buddy,’ or it can be placed on the peak to cause intense release. If inserted, it makes the deepest part of a woman pulse, leading to a profound, internal sensation far beyond what is normally possible.”
”U-Uh-huh…”
Badatt truly felt he might pass out this time. The product that had been so highly sought after by so many respectable people was, at its core, this vulgar, indecent thing.
He thought he understood it intellectually, but to see it… could it be that the wives of the Great Merchants and the noblewomen were actually buying this?
”However, that’s where the problem lies. Simply put, the ‘Tremble-D**do-Buddy’ is too good. Its potency is so great that a Sister of the Church of Demon-Subjugation herself couldn’t resist its powerful temptation. As a result, the Church declared it a dangerous magic tool and banned it.”
Kento spoke with a serious, solemn expression. Badatt was shocked that a Church Sister had been so profoundly affected, but regarding the ban, he found himself thinking, Well, that makes sense….
But even if he hadn’t fully grasped the reality of the product, he knew he had reaped huge benefits from it.
Losing this item and, consequently, his big accounts was too costly to bear. The Badatt of good conscience was now locked in a fierce internal debate with the Badatt, the Manager of a great merchant guild.
Badatt hesitated, unsure of his judgment.
He was a man, after all; he couldn’t grasp the item’s true value. Moreover, in this bizarre situation—being given a presentation on a vulgar magic item by a good-looking young man—he impulsively wanted to hear a second opinion.
He was, again, a man of good sense and would never normally do this. But at that moment, he wasn’t in a state of mind to worry about etiquette.
”Sera, what do you think? Is this product really that incredible…?”
”Eh…!?”
Suddenly addressed, Sera jumped, her face flushing crimson.
But she wasn’t in a right state of mind, either. She was completely overwhelmed by the gravity of the TDB’s sales halt.
And above all, this was a direct question from Badatt, the Manager she respected and loved, the one who’d trained her from the start.
She also desperately wanted to help Kento in his jam, the first vendor she’d truly managed. Perhaps she also wanted to be seen as a capable, reliable business partner.
So, with the utmost sincerity, she answered, confessing something she’d never have normally uttered.
”Well… um… I-I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t use it for its main purpose. For secondary use, however, it’s… it’s simply marvelous. I… I use it, well, several times a night…”
Sera’s face was bright red, and Badatt’s was now a ghostly white. A disaster!
This is a terrible thing I’ve asked! Asking a young, unmarried woman about her private releases is utterly unforgivable!
Kento, meanwhile, was thinking, I have to hand it to this old man! Asking the innocent Sera about this was definitely out of line, but his question had confirmed two crucial things: Sera was a maiden, and she was already using the TDB repeatedly. The Manager’s stunningly effective, if accidental, indiscretion was almost admirable.
He knew he could trust this Manager, and he was determined to continue their business. Harvest’s sales would surely multiply!
”Badatt-san I have a request…”
”W-W-What is it!?”
”Sadly, the ‘Tremble-D**do-Buddy’ has been banned from sale. But! My shop will continue to diligently develop even more advanced adult magic items! I promise you won’t lose money. Please, I beg you, continue your partnership with Harvest!”
”Ah, yes, well, I certainly hope we can continue a good relationship…?”
Badatt was suspicious of Kento’s sudden, loud intensity, but he had no objection to maintaining their partnership.
After all, his own wife and business partners loved the products. While his conscience was nagging him, cutting ties was simply not an option.
”So! I’ll make sure to keep our stock reliably supplied to you! And! I’d like to offer you a few ‘Tremble-D**do-Buddies’ free of charge as a sign of our good faith! The sale is banned, but a free transfer is not prohibited! Please, use them wisely!”
”Huh? W-Well, I don’t think…”
”Thank you very much!” Kento pressed, cutting him off.
”H-Harumph…”
Badatt hesitated at Kento’s proposal, which was pushing the gray area too far, but he found himself nodding anyway. The abnormal situation, the shock of having embarrassed Sera, and Kento’s sheer, relentless sales pressure were all factors, not to mention the unspoken calculation of profit.
As a result, the Tasogare Merchant Guild continued to function as the crucial distribution route for Harvest’s merchandise. Before long, this very route would be responsible for spreading adult magic items to the furthest towns and, most importantly, to the upper-crust ladies across the kingdom.
As an aside, after that day, Kento started sending Badatt regular, personal “gifts.” Badatt’s wife, who loved them dearly, ensured he could never pull the plug on the Harvest business. His night life with her became incredibly fulfilling, yet he was trapped, caught between his guilt and his sudden, rich marital satisfaction, unable to complain.
—
Summary:
The sales halt of the Tremble-D**do-Buddy item throws the merchant guild into a frenzy. Manager Badatt, an oily-faced but good-hearted boss, is horrified by Kento’s explicit product presentation but can’t ignore the immense profits.
His clumsy questioning of his employee, Sera, forces her into an embarrassing confession about her personal use of the magic item. Kento uses the crisis and the free-transfer loophole to solidify his business with the conflicted Manager, ensuring his adult magic items continue to spread through the wealthy elite.
—
Character Insight:
Badatt is hilariously torn between his moral conscience and the massive wealth from the taboo goods.
Sera’s professionalism collapses under the high-stakes panic and her boss’s ill-timed question. Kento is the ultimate opportunist, using the Church’s ban and Badatt’s shock to his advantage.
—
Behind the Scene:
The chapter’s comedy stems from the absurd juxtaposition of a formal business setting and the explicit nature of the product.
The ban by the Church of Demon-Subjugation creates a classic ‘gray market’ loophole that Kento immediately exploits, showing his savvy. Badatt’s ultimate downfall—or reward—is being trapped by his own wife’s enjoyment of Kento’s gifts.
Notes:
• 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.
• 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.
• Badatt – The 7th-generation manager of the long-running Tasogare Merchant Guild. Despite his fat, oily, ugly bastard, have multiple rings appearance, he is a competent and respected manager who listens to his employees. He is a man of ‘good sense’ but is overwhelmed by the explicit nature of Kento’s products and the ensuing chaos.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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