Chapter 95 Trouble in Town꞉ Shouichi and the Vigilant Guard
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The following morning, I awoke and enjoyed a refreshing time with Vectra-san before setting off for town with Ami-chan and Eme-chan. My plan for the day was quite simple: sell our harvest of fruit and use the proceeds to purchase some fine liquor.
Imagine it-soaking in an open-air bath under the vast, glittering stars of an alien sky, sharing a drink with Cleonora and the others… it would be nothing short of magnificent!
”Right then, let’s head straight for the main thoroughfare,” I said.
”It’s been quite a while,” Eme-chan remarked. “I’m sure there are people who have been waiting for us.”
Following our usual routine, I pulled the handcart out onto the busy street. With Ami-chan handling the advertising, I expected we would be attracting a crowd in no time at all. However, as soon as we stepped into the open, someone noticed us immediately and hurried over.
”Ah, hey…! You there…!” the man called out.
I recognized him; he was the fellow who had joined in on a group purchase of a melon the very first time I came to this town. He cast a wary glance around at our surroundings before leaning in to speak in a hushed tone.
”Did the guards not stop you when you entered the town?” the man asked.
”Eh…?” I blinked, confused. “Guards?”
To be perfectly honest, we always used Teleportationⁿ to reach the town. It wasn’t as though we were strolling through the front gates in a conventional manner. Eme-chan, sensing the man’s agitation, stepped forward to clarify.
”Has something happened?” Eme-chan asked.
”The town guards, the ones responsible for maintaining public order, they’re on high alert regarding you lot,” the man explained, his voice low and urgent.
”What!?” I exclaimed.
”They’ve labeled you as suspicious characters selling shady goods under the pretense of having grown them in the Demon Forestⁿ,” the man added.
He went on to explain the situation in more detail. Apparently, this town was home to a garrison of heavily armed guards. It seemed they had caught wind of our activities and had decided we were intruders to be wary of.
”The guards… are they something like a knightly order?” Eme-chan asked.
”Close, but they’re a different breed altogether,” the man replied. “You see, the guards are more like the private soldiers of the local lord who governs this land.”
He explained that the Republic was formed by reorganizing several small nations into a single entity. While the knightly orders of those former small states had been integrated into the Republic’s official military, they were no longer forces that could be moved solely by the whims of a local lord or former royalty. Thus, the town guards were established as a separate force to serve the lords’ interests.
I found it hard to believe that rumors had spread so far in just the single month since we first sold fruit here. Then again, in a town like this, anything out of the ordinary was bound to become the talk of the marketplace.
”At any rate,” the man whispered, “you should probably lie low until things cool down… or perhaps try doing business somewhere else entirely.”
”I see…” I muttered.
It was a bit of a dilemma. This town was the closest settlement in the Republic to the Demon Forest. While I didn’t absolutely have to make money right this second, there were things I couldn’t get without funds. Ideally, I wanted to establish a regular source of income here.
Besides, I had brought ‘that’ with me today.
By ‘that,’ I meant the sugar. During our previous business trip, the young ladies from the Kelnamerchant guildⁿ had requested that I set aside some fruit specifically for them. After consulting with Liliarette, we had decided against taking pre-orders or holding stock. If they happened to show up while we were working, we could sell to them as if we had reserved it, but the odds were slim.
If they came later and complained, the plan was to show them Liliarette’s letter of introduction and propose a different kind of business deal. If we could establish contact and start trading with the merchant guild, they might even buy our fruit at a premium in the future. Building an equal relationship with the town’s most influential people wouldn’t be impossible.
As Liliarette had initially calculated, using fruit as our primary trade good while occasionally introducing sugar would allow us to build a foundation where we could stand on equal-or even superior-footing.
If the twin ladies didn’t show up, that would be fine too. We hadn’t reserved anything, so we wouldn’t lose out on sales. In fact, we had judged that the risk of inciting resentment from other townsfolk by refusing to sell ‘reserved’ stock was much greater. Popular items needed the excuse of being ‘sold out’ to maintain goodwill.
”Ah… is that why no customers are coming near us today?” I asked.
”Word about the guards has gotten around,” the man replied. “People are afraid that if they’re caught buying things from you, they’ll end up in a mess of trouble themselves.”
It seemed they were terrified of being interrogated by the guards for buying from a ‘suspicious person.’ While it was their job to maintain order, it was clear the townsfolk held a healthy amount of fear for them.
”Hmm, I see. What should we do, Shou?” Ami-chan asked.
”We could change locations, but I’d rather not cause a scene,” I said.
The town was quite large, so moving elsewhere was an option, but if the guards found us there, it would only make matters worse. It was probably best to leave the area quickly, as the guards likely knew where we usually set up shop.
I thanked the man, intending to move to a less crowded area. However, the man suddenly let out a strangled “Uge…” and vanished into the crowd.
”Eh…? Mister…?” I started to say.
”Suspicious fruit on a cart, accompanied by a fairy and a young girl…! You’re the man claiming to live in the Demon Forest, aren’t you!” a booming voice rang out.
”Huh!?” I yelped.
I turned toward the voice to find a group of armed men swarming toward us. In the blink of an eye, we were surrounded. The people on the street retreated to a distance, watching the spectacle from afar.
”Just as the reports said, you’ve shown your face…! Now, how exactly did you get into this town!?” the lead guard demanded.
”Well… uh, you see…” I stammered.
”You are suspected of causing civil unrest by claiming to have come from the Demon Forest!” the guard shouted.
”Wait, what…!?” I gasped.
”We have also received reports that you have kidnapped this girl and are forcing her to work! All of this suspicious fruit is hereby confiscated! You’re coming with us to the station!” the guard bellowed.
”Eeehhhhh!?” I cried out.
They weren’t listening to a word I said! What on earth was happening? As I stood there panicking at this unprecedented turn of events, Eme-chan reached out and squeezed my hand.
”Shoichi. Let us just go with them for now,” Eme-chan said quietly.
”Eh…” I looked at her, surprised.
”These people… I think they were targeting us from the very start. They want information. Besides, even though we can escape with Teleportation, we shouldn’t show our hand so easily,” Eme-chan whispered.
Thanks to her, I managed to calm down slightly. She had certainly seen far more life-and-death situations than I had; she had the mental fortitude to handle a sudden crisis like this. She was right-escaping was easy. I might as well use this as an opportunity to gather information.
With that thought in mind, I raised my hands in the air.
”I… I’ll comply…” I said.
”Hmph. Good. Seize the cart as well! Don’t even think about resisting-just move!” the guard barked.
And so, branded as a suspicious character, I was led away to the guard station, surrounded by a wall of stern-faced men.
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Summary:
Shouichi, Ami-chan, and Eme-chan travel to town to sell fruit and buy alcohol. Upon arrival, an old acquaintance warns them that the town guards are suspicious of their origins in the Demon Forest. Before they can leave, the guards surround them, accusing Shouichi of inciting unrest and kidnapping Eme-chan. Eme-chan advises staying calm and complying for now to gather intel. Shouichi is then taken into custody along with his cart of goods.
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Character Insight:
This chapter highlights the contrast between Shouichi’s modern, somewhat naive reactions and Eme-chan’s seasoned composure. While Shouichi is prone to panic when faced with authority and false accusations, Eme-chan immediately recognizes the guards’ true motive: information gathering. Her ability to remain level-headed and strategic in a crisis shows her growth and her protective nature toward Shouichi. Shouichi, in turn, trusts her judgment completely, demonstrating the deepening bond and tactical partnership between them.
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Behind the Scene:
The author notes that this plot development introduces the ‘Town Guards’ as a local antagonistic force, distinct from the broader Republic military, adding a layer of local political tension.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Vectra – A Unique Individual maid with white skin and white hair. Height 170cm, Bust Size D. Class: Duelist. Attribute: Darkness. Weapon: Star-Strike Battle Axe Volkein
• Ami – A palm-sized fairy-like being from a world separate from both Earth and the isekai realm. She has light blue hair tied in a ponytail, mischievous blue eyes, and tiny wings that flutter behind her. Her outfit consists of a provocative high-cut leotard and a short jacket that looks like a miniskirt from the back, leaving her legs bare. Despite her playful appearance, she is actively searching for a contractor who can protect her from dangerous pursuers in exchange for the powers she offers.
• Cleonora – The second princess. Have a yellow blonde hair. Usually styled as hairbun. D-cup.
• Liliarette – The other Princess, who sacrificed her ability to walk and her sorcery talent to save her sister, Cleonora. She is imprisoned in the East Tower and is being used as a political and monetary pawn by Viorga. C-cup, true golden hair, waist-length hair, the fringe was a slightly blunt, hair on her left side was braided to the chest.
• Gin – A friend of Kiraurumi who craves excitement and is secretly a ‘lolita enthusiast’ complexed about her own tall stature. She sees the world-saving mission as a ‘plane ride over a river’ of boredom.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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